PRESS RELEASE: Protect Our Defenders Responds to Pentagon’s Sexual Assault Panel Findings That Support the Status Quo
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2014 Contact: Brian Purchia, brian@protectourdefenders.com *** PRESS RELEASE *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RESPONDS TO...
Sexual assault panel: Keep prosecutions in chain of command
Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish is featured in this article from Stars and Stripes: But Nancy Parrish, president of...
Independent panel releases report on ending military sexual assault
Protect Our Defenders Advisory Board Member BriGette McCoy and Advocacy Committee Member Brian Lewis are featured in this story from...
Barack Obama taps ex-Procter and Gamble exec Robert McDonald to lead VA
Politico reports: President Barack Obama plans to nominate former Procter and Gamble executive Robert McDonald to lead the embattled Department...
Commander Says He Was Fired for Helping Airmen
Military.com reports: The Air Force’s removal of a squadron commander for showing favoritism to subordinates in his unit has some...
Marines: Officials encourage male victims to report sexual assault crimes
Officials encourage male victims to report sexual assault crimes: While the number of reported sexual assaults shot up sharply in...
Governor’s inadequate response to Alaska National Guard sexual assault complaints
The Anchorage Daily News reports: Questions remain as to why Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell waited almost four years to open an...
Why Military Sexual Assault Survivors Have Trouble Getting The Benefits They Deserve
The Huffington Post reports: When a veteran submits a disability claim for post-traumatic stress disorder, a troubling factor can predict...
[VIDEO] Congresswomen Speier Introduces Amendment to Protect Military Sexual Assault Survivors
Congresswoman Jackie Speier stood with victims of sexual assault in the military and offered an amendment on the floor of...
Op Ed on MCM Changes from Protect Our Defenders President
The National Institute of Military Justice Blog highlighted Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish’s Huffington Post blog post on their...
NBC News: Army Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair Accused of Sexual Assault Demoted
NBC News: A U.S. Army general who became the face of a sexual assault problem plaguing the military was demoted...
New Presidential Executive Order Proposed by Pentagon Strips Victims of Their Privacy
Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish writes for the Huffington Post: Last Friday, President Obama signed an Executive Order amending...
Hillary Clinton Backs Gillibrand Bill to Curb Military Sexual Assault
From Politico: At another point in the CNN event, she took a position that appears to put her opposite the...
Politico: Hillary Clinton tackles Benghazi, pot and more
Politico reports: At another point in the CNN event, she took a position that appears to put her opposite the...
PRESS RELEASE: President Obama Signs Executive Order Undermining Rape Shield Protections for Victims of Rape in the Military
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 17, 2014 Contact: Brian Purchia, brian@protectourdefenders.com *** PRESS RELEASE *** PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER UNDERMINING...
The Atlantic: Teaching Sexual Assault Prevention Through Comedy
The Atlantic reports: At Catharsis’s flagship military client—the Great Lakes Naval Base, where the company has been active for two...
Fort Bragg Soldier Sentenced to Two Years in Prison, Convicted of Sex Assault and Battery
WTVD reports: An 82nd Airborne soldier has been convicted of sexual assault and domestic battery and sentenced to two years...
Reps. Tsongas & Turner: What it will take to end sexual assault in the military
Reps. Niki Tsongas (D-MA) & Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) wrote a joint op-ed in the Christian Science Monitor: The Department of...
National Guard commander leads from experience
The Baltimore Sun reports: The public service video produced by the Maryland National Guard on sexual assault begins like others....
Putting a Band-Aid on rape won’t work
The Altamont Enterprise reports: But, while we commend the effort to provide rape survivors with their own counsel, how effective...
Leaders must watch their words on military sexual assault
The Hill Reports: The appeals court for the Navy and Marine Corps recently threw out the conviction of a Marine...
Rep. Jackie Speier: The Blue Angels Spiraled Out of Control
Congresswoman Jackie Speier writes for the Huffington Post: And that’s exactly what is wrong with the entire military justice system....
Fears in wake of Coast Guard sex assaults
The San Francisco Chronicle reports: A U.S. Coast Guardswoman looked down while using a restroom stall on the military service’s...
Minnesota delegation pushes Army to clarify new rules on sexual assault victim rights
The Star-Tribune reports: Minnesota’s eight House members and both senators collectively urged the Army Tuesday to clarify a new directive...
Report: Benefits claims related to sexual assault treated unevenly
The Air Force Times reports: Veterans Affairs benefits workers are still wildly inconsistent in their handling of claims related to...
[VIDEO] Vets advocate: Problems are not new issues
HLN reports; More than a week after the resignation of Eric Shinseki, many people are asking: How serious are the...
USA Today: Soldiers in sensitive posts had abuse, drug histories
USA Today reports: More than 350 of the 588 soldiers the Army has disqualified from sensitive posts, including sexual assault...
USA Today: Admiral hopes to squelch military scandals
USA Today reports: Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair cut a plea deal with prosecutors in March over extramarital affairs he...
Article 32 Hearing Wraps In Case Of Fort Hood Sgt. Accused Of Running Prostitution Ring
Texas Public Radio reports: An Article 32 hearing, the military version of a grand jury, has completed its investigation of...
Naked photos, lewd practices cited in case against Blue Angels’ leader
The Associated Press reports: A former Blue Angels commander tolerated inappropriate sexual comments and pornographic images in the workplace —...
Hearing concludes for Fort Hood sergeant accused of forming prostitution ring at Army post
The Associated Press reports: An officer will decide whether a Fort Hood sergeant will face a court-martial for allegedly setting...
Former Blue Angels CO reprimanded for ‘toxic’ climate
Military.com reports: The former leader of the Blue Angels was found guilty at an admiral’s mast Monday of condoning crude...
Army soldier at Fort Hood accused of running prostitution ring
Al Jazeera America reports: A U.S. Army soldier appeared before a military panel on Tuesday to address allegations that he...
Military shouldn’t investigate sexual assaults in Canadian Forces, say experts
The Hill Times reports on sexual assault in the Canadian military: Ian Bron, a former Canadian Navy officer who was...
Air Force training command head says Lackland morale on upswing
The San Antonio Express-News reports: The head of the Air Force’s training command said he wasn’t surprised by critical comments...
Mixed Results for Women in House Version of National Defense Authorization Act
RH Reality Check reports: The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last...
Alleged sex assaults by drill sergeant the latest in a long line during military training
The Washington Post reports: The alleged sexual assault of numerous female trainees by an Army drill sergeant in Missouri has...
STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders Responds to DoD Panel Recommendations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 30, 2014 Contact: Brian Purchia, brian@protectourdefenders.com *** STATEMENT *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RESPONDS TO DOD PANEL...
In survey, Lackland drill instructors rip leaders, say they fear recruits
The San Antonio Express-News reports: A survey of basic-training instructors conducted during the worst sex scandal in Air Force history...
[VIDEO] VA will pay Mainer $405,000 in back benefits related to military sexual assault
WSCH Maine reports: A Millbridge woman is being awarded $405,000 from the Veterans Administration for back benefits related to sexual...
Pentagon Says Uncovering the Truth about Military Sexual Violence Is Too Burdensome. Huh?
From the ACLU Blog of Rights: It’s often said that people should be judged by their actions, not merely their...
STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders Responds to Veterans Administration Awarding Back Benefits to Sexual Assault Survivor; VA Admits Fault in Denying Compensation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 29, 2014 Contact: Brian Purchia, brian@protectourdefenders.com *** STATEMENT *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RESPONDS TO VETERANS ADMINISTRATION...
More military sexual assault charges point toward a much larger problem
All Voices reports: Barely over a month after an army general earned a reprimand over sexual assaults that happened under...
Army drill sergeant accused of numerous sex assaults in Afghanistan and Missouri
The Washington Post reports: An Army staff sergeant is accused of sexually assaulting several female soldiers since 2011, including at...
Biden: Changing World Needs New Officer Skills
The Associated Press reports: He congratulated the cadets on accepting gay and lesbian classmates and for fighting sexual assaults, a...
Trouble ‘Adjusting’ to Sexual Assault May Be Getting U.S. Military Members Booted Without VA Benefits
From Reason.com: Are dodgy diagnoses being used to save the military money on mental health care? That’s the charge from...
Drill sergeant faces sexual assault charges at Ft. Leonard Wood
Gannett News Service reports: A drill sergeant at Fort Leonard Wood has been charged with sexual assault and harassment, among...
Lawmaker claims Pentagon using new diagnosis to drive out sex assault accusers
Fox News reports: Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., has accused the Pentagon of diagnosing troops who report that they were sexually...
[VIDEO] Hagel: “Someone has to be accountable” for VA health care crisis
CBS News reports: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that “someone has to be accountable” for the growing allegations of misconduct...
Marine’s sexual assault conviction overturned because of commandant’s tough talk
McClatchy Newspapers reports: The Marine Corps commandant’s uncompromising talk against sexual assault looked like unlawful command influence, a military appeals court...