STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders Responds to US Academies’ Sexual Assault Report
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 10, 2014
Contact: Brian Purchia, , brian@protectourdefenders.com
*** STATEMENT ***
PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RESPONDS TO RELEASE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT REPORT FOR U.S. MILITARY ACADEMIES
Attorneys for victim in the Naval Academy sexual assault scandal urge Superintendent to move forward with the charges, arguing that despite investigators’ grave misconduct there is enough evidence to prove the charge of Abusive Sexual Contact
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Pentagon released the number of reported sexual assaults at the U.S. military academies for 2012-13. This same week, it was reported that prosecutors in the now infamous case against football players at the Naval Academy plan to seek dismissal of charges against the second of three alleged perpetrators due to a botched NCIS investigation.
Protect Our Defenders President, Nancy Parrish released the following statement:
“It is not possible to draw conclusions as to whether the overall situation at the academies is getting better or worse based solely on this report. We do know SAPRO’s stated objective is to see a steady increase in the number of unrestricted reports. The academy report released today indicates that number is going in the wrong direction. And we know that service wide 90% of victims don’t report and of those few who do report, 60% state they were retaliated against.
“We also know that the investigation of the high profile sexual assault case at the U.S. Naval Academy was botched from the beginning. The Naval Academy chose to put the reputations of the Academy and its football players ahead of the interests of the victim, who faced an unconscionable attack on her character and her dignity. She was re-victimized through obvious attempts to intimidate and silence her, not to mention being subjected to 30 hours of abusive cross-examination. Throughout this process, she has been victimized by a judicial system that, at its core, is fundamentally broken. How does the military expect more victims to come forward if they see how they are treated when they do?
“Such blatant failures as those committed by the investigators in the handling of this case are far too common and further cripple an already biased and broken military justice system. Had there been a competent attempt to pursue her case by trained military prosecutors from the outset, it might not have forced their hand. Prosecutors-not the Superintendent of a university-should be making the calls on who receives immunity, who is prosecuted, and what charges should be brought.
“This is yet another shocking example of why we need fundamental reform. Military leaders have been given deference on this issue for too long. They have promised time and again to tackle this problem and eradicate it from the force. But they have failed.”
Yesterday, attorneys for the victim in the Naval Academy case wrote a letter to Vice Admiral Michael Miller, the Superintendent and Convening Authority presiding over the case. Attorney Ryan Guilds, of Arnold and Porter LLP-a member of the Protect Our Defenders Pro Bono Legal Network-urged V. Adm. Miller to go forward with the charges, arguing that despite investigators’ grave misconduct there is enough evidence to prove the charge of Abusive Sexual Contact, including admissions made to others and social media posts. Guilds argues that they have continuously been denied access to case materials in violation of federal law and has requested a meeting with Miller to allow the victim a chance to be heard on this issue before making a final decision of whether to proceed to trial.
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Baltimore Sun: Sexual assault reports up slightly at Naval Academy
Baltimore Sun: Military prosecutors could seek dismissal of Naval Academy assault case
Los Angeles Times: Two Navy football players to face court-martial on sex charges
Baltimore Sun: Effort to strip Naval Academy official of review in sex assault case is denied
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-ar-navy-lawsuit-hearing-20131007,0,3073405.story
Slate: Navy Hearing Grills Alleged Rape Victim on Her Oral Sex Technique, Whether She Wore a Bra
Protect Our Defenders Statement: Boxer, Blumenthal, Speier and Protect Our Defenders Call on President to Reform Article 32 Hearings
New York Times: Navy Hearing in Rape Case Raises Alarm
Baltimore Sun: The Naval Academy sex assault hearing should be the last of its kind
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-naval-academy-case-20130916,0,3728710.story
Protect Our Defenders Press Release: Shocking Treatment of Victim in Naval Academy Sexual Assault Case Shows Urgent Need for Military Justice Reform
MSNBC: Naval Academy sexual assault hearing underscores flaws in system
http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/09/04/naval-academy-sexual-assault-hearing-underscores-flaws-in-system/
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About Protect Our Defenders:
Protect Our Defenders is a human rights organization. We seek to honor, support and give voice to the brave women and men in uniform who have been sexually assaulted while serving their country, and re-victimized by the military adjudication system – a system that often blames the victim and fails to prosecute the perpetrator. Learn more about Protect Our Defenders at www.protectourdefenders.com or on Facebook athttp://facebook.com/ProtectOurDefenders or follow us on Twitter athttps://twitter.com/ProtectRDfnders.
Protect Our Defenders partners with Attorney Susan Burke, of Katz, Marshall & Banks LLP to advance lawsuits filed against the DoD and service academies for repeatedly ignoring rape, sexual assault and harassment, failing to prosecute perpetrators and retaliating against the victim.
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