Legislation Introduced to Cut Red Tape for Sexual Assault Survivors
Lauren Fox reports for U.S. News: “It’s outrageous that men and women who sign up to defend our country end...
CNN: Congress Takes on Sexual Assault, Will Military Follow?
Colby Hochmuth reports for CNN on Protect Our Defenders Honorary Chair Rep. Jackie Speier: The sexual assault victims in the...
Elite Trainer’s Fall Started With a ‘Funny Face’
Sig Christenson reports for San Antonio Express-News: A prosecutor, Lt. Col. Shawn Speranza, asked why she didn’t tell LeBlanc to...
Tester Pushes for Military Sexual Assault Protections
Jenn Rowell reports for Great Falls Tribune: [Military sexual assault] continued to be a priority for SWAN and today, [Senator...
Lackland Instructor Pleads Guilty to 9 Charges
Kristin Davis reports for Air Force Times: Leblanc could receive more than 52 years in prison and a dishonorable discharge...
Getting Benefits for Military Rape Victims Shouldn’t Be This Difficult
The Bangor Daily News Editorial Board writes: Pay attention to a bill proposed by Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, and...
AF Chief Accused of Influencing Lackland Sex Case
Sig Christenson reports for the San Antonio Express-News: An Air Force instructor facing 52 years in prison for sexual misconduct...
Katie: Hollywood on the Front Lines
Katie Couric interviews Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jessica Hinves, Attorney Susan Burke and other survivors of military sexual...
Air Force Orders NCOs to Train Airmen
Sig Christenson reports for the San Antonio Express-News: In a historic change driven by the sexual misconduct scandal at Joint...
Abuse Claims Need Civilian Oversight
The San Antonio Express-News writes: No one who volunteers to serve in the nation’s armed forces should be subject to...
‘The Invisible War’: How Oscar’s Military Rape Documentary Might Change Everything
Alyssa Rosenberg reports for The Daily Beast on Kirby Dick, director of The Invisible War, an Oscar-nominated documentary on the...
Q&A: The Man Making the Military Talk About Rape
Kay Stoefel interviews Kirby Dick, director of the The Invisible War, an Oscar-nominated documentary on military sexual assault, for The Cut:...
Jennifer Norris: A Review of Sexual Misconduct by Basic Training Instructors at Lackland Air Force Base
Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jennifer Norris writes in her guest blog for the Huffington Post: After being chosen to...
[Video] Sgt Smith on CNN
Sgt Jennifer Smith was featured by Christiane Amanpour on CNN, January 31st. We urge you to watch Sgt. Smith talks about...
Delays Added to Lackland Problems
The San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board writes: Yes, Congress does share in the responsibility of addressing the problem of sexual...
Hagel Vows Policies Worthy of U.S. Service Members, Families
Jim Garamone reports for American Forces Press Service: “I will work with the service chiefs as we officially open combat...
Military Provides Inadequate Care for Injuries Suffered During Sexual Assaults
Kay Steiger reports for The Raw Story on Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish: Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish...
Even After Lackland Scandal, Military Still Isn’t Fixing Its Sexual Abuse Epidemic
Robert Beckhusen reports for Wired: The Pentagon has talked a lot about putting a stop to sexual abuse and harassment...
Now That Women Are Cleared For Combat, How About A Rape-Free Workplace?
Matthew Fleischer reports for Huffington Post: Many women, like U.S. Marine Stephanie Schroeder, are punished or even discharged for reporting...
Former Centcom Official Pleads Guilty in Teen Sex Case
Howard Altman reports for The Tampa Tribune on Protect Our Defenders Communications Director Brian Purchia: Brian Purchia, spokesman for Protect...
Political Cartoon: “Because I was too Afraid”
The Mercury, a student newspaper for the University of Texas at Dallas printed this comic on the lack of perspective...
Watch: Tsgt Jennifer Norris is featured on CBS Evening News
Tsgt Jennifer Norris was featured on CBS Evening News, January 27, 2013: (CBS News) NEW YORK – Jennifer Norris has...
Women Ready for Combat; Are Men Ready for Change?
Maria Sanchez reports for The Kansas City Star on Protect Our Defenders: According to the advocacy group Protect Our Defenders,...
Air Force Hotline Aiding Misconduct Probes
Sig Christenson reports for The San Antonio Express-News on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jennifer Norris: In an interview...
The Guardian: Sexual Assault Crisis Tempers Euphoria Over End of Combat Ban
Karen McVeigh reports for The Guardian on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jennifer Norris: Norris told lawmakers: “It breaks...
Women in Combat Units: Could it Reduce Sexual Assault in the Military?
Anna Mulrine reports for Christian Science Monitor on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Colleen Bushnell: “That’s an abuse of...
Sexual Abuse Victims Testify in Lackland Hearing
Michael Barajas reports for the San Antonio Current on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jennifer Norris: Retired Air Force...
[Listen] Tsgt Jennifer Norris Interviewed on Geraldo
On January 25, 2013 Tsgt Jennifer Norris and Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish were interviewed on the Geraldo radio...
In Air Force Report, Where Were the Survivors?
Holly Kearl writes for AAUW Dialog about Protect Our Defenders Honorary Chair Rep. Jackie Speier: During the Q-and-A portion, I...
MSNBC: Rep. Speier Discusses Gun Violence, Women in Combat, and Military Sexual Assault
Protect Our Defenders Honorary Chair Rep. Jackie Speier speaks on MSNBC about the epidemic of military sexual assault:
Washington Post: With Women in Combat, Will Military Finally Address Epidemic of Sexual Assault?
Vincent Bzdek reports for The Washington Post: Thursday, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta will announce that the Department of Defense...
Air Force Creating ‘Battle Rhythm’ to Stop Sexual Assault
[ca_audio url=”https://www.protectourdefenders.com/downloads/275092.mp3″ width=”500″ height=”27″ css_class=”codeart-google-mp3-player” autoplay=”false”] Jared Sebu reports for Federal News Radio on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member...
Tsongas: ‘A Matter of National Security’
The Lowell Sun reports on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jennifer Norris: “You’re stuck,” Jennifer Norris told the committee....
Panel Criticizes Handling of Lackland Abuse Complaints
Gary Martin reports on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jennifer Norris: An advocate of sexual assault victims in the...
KCENTV: Testimony Begins in Lackland Air Base Sexual Assault Cases
Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish unveiled the “words of encouragement” from over 200 supporters and survivors as POD traveled...
View remarks from the Congressional Hearing on Lackland Air Force Base and Protect Our Defenders Briefing in Washington, D.C. on 1/23/13
View remarks and watch video from the Congressional Hearing on Lackland Air Force Base and Protect Our Defenders Briefing in...
Statement From Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish on End of Exclusion of Women in Combat
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 23, 2013 Contact: Brian Purchia, , brian@protectourdefenders.com *** STATEMENT *** STATEMENT FROM PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PRESIDENT NANCY PARRISH...
Study: Military Women Experience Unintended Pregnancy Rates at Double U.S. Average
Kay Steiger reports for The Raw Story on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jenny McClendon: “A woman being pregnant...
Pentagon Lifting Ban on Women in Combat
Elisabeth Bumiller and Thom Shanker report for The New York Times: Mr. Panetta’s decision came after he received a Jan. 9...
Little Has Changed Since Tailhook, Based on Lackland Scandal Testimony
Joyce Tsai Reports for Stars and Stripes on Protect Our Defenders: The hearing testimony was blunted by criticism from Protect...
Breaking News: Military to Open Combat Jobs to Women
Chris Lawrence, with reporting from Barbara Starr for CNN: The U.S. military is ending its policy of excluding women from...
Group Argues Armed Services Panel Has Not Done Enough on Sexual Assault
Jeremy Herb reports for The Hill on Protect Our Defenders: “The military leadership has repeatedly investigated itself, promised to change...
Air Force Officials Testify About Sexual Assaults
Kristina Wong reports for The Washington Times on Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish and Advocacy Board Member Brian Lewis: “Part...
LA Times: General Admits Failure in Lackland Sex Scandal; 32 Alleged Culprits
Molly Hennessy-Fiske reports for the Los Angeles Times on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jennifer Norris: “We have seen...
ABC News: Air Force Chief Calls Sex Misconduct a ‘Cancer’
Arlette Saenz reports for ABC News on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jennifer Norris: “Why is it that commanders...
Lackland Sex Scandal Gets House Hearing As Air Force Inquiry Continues
Molly O’Toole reports for the Huffington Post on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Paula Coughlin-Puopolo: “I thought Tailhook was...
NY Times: Air Force Leaders Testify on Culture That Led to Sexual Assaults of Recruits
James Risen reports for the New York Times: Wednesday’s hearing came after a petition drive that gathered 10,000 signatures demanding...
Reuters: Scope of U.S. Air Force Sexual Assault Case ‘Stunning’ – General
David Alexander reports for Reuters on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jennifer Norris: [Retired Air Force Technical Sergeant Jennifer...
Buck McKeon Forced To Hold Public Hearings On Lackland Rapes
Mark Archuleta reports for Down With Tyranny on Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Board Member Jennifer Norris: “The cycle of repeated...
C-SPAN: House Cmte. Investigates Sexual Misconduct at Lackland
C-SPAN reports: The House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on sexual misconduct by basic training instructors at Lackland...