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Bipartisan Bill Being Introduced To Try To Help Victims Of Military Sexual Trauma

04/12/11-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The Defense Sexual Trauma Response, Oversight and Good Governance Act or Defense STRONG Act will be introduced tomorrow in response to the problem of sexual assault in the military. Recent studies of military sexual trauma or MST have revealed that as many as one third of women in the military are victims of sexual assault. The Pentagon also believes that as few as 13.5% of the victims report the assaults, and only 8% of those reported are brought to justice within the military.

The legislation is being co-sponsored by Representatives Niki Tsongas, a Democrat of Massachusetts, and Mike Turner, a Republican of Ohio, and it is designed to provide victims with the right to legal counsel, the right to transfer to another base, and would allow them to maintain confidentiality while speaking with victim advocates. The bill also madates increased training with regards to sexual assault prevention for the troops.

Anu Bhagwati, the head of the Service Women’s Action Network or SWAN and a former Marine Captain, told Huffington Post:

“Military rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment are at a crisis point, posing a significant threat to military personnel, mission readiness and national security. Despite decades of trying, the military has failed to implement policies to protect service members or to defend the basic rights of survivors. With 19,000 service members assaulted last year, there is an immediate need for this crucial legislation.”