***STATEMENT*** NEW PENTAGON REPORT FINDS 32% INCREASE IN SEXUAL ASSAULTS AT MILITARY ACADEMIES AMONG CADETS AND MIDSHIPMEN
Washington, DC – Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) released its Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service...
***PRESS RELEASE*** Protect Our Defenders & Military Sexual Assault Survivors Announce Launch of 2020 Presidential Candidate Pledge to Help End Crisis of Military Sexual Assault
Washington, DC – Protect Our Defenders (POD), the only national organization solely dedicated to ending the epidemic of rape and sexual assault...
***STATEMENT*** IN RESPONSE TO GROUNDBREAKING PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RACIAL DISPARITY REPORT, CONGRESS MANDATES PENTAGON TRACK RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER OF COURTS-MARTIALS
Washington, DC – On Tuesday, the Senate signed the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The final NDAA contains a number of...
***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS FILES AMICUS BRIEF BEFORE SUPREME COURT TO CLOSE LEGAL LOOPHOLE SETTING ACCUSED MILITARY RAPISTS FREE
Washington, DC – Today, Protect Our Defenders (POD) joined rape survivor and Air Force veteran Harmony Allen in filing an amicus curia brief...
POD President Don Christensen Testimony at Defense Advisory Committee on Investigations, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces
Chairwoman Martha Bashford ATTN: DAC-IPAD One Liberty Center 875 N. Randolph Street, Suite 150 Arlington, VA 22203 15 November 2019...
***STATEMENT*** SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW LEGAL LOOPHOLE SETTING ACCUSED MILITARY RAPISTS FREE
Washington, DC – The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Friday that it would hear an appeal from the Justice Department to review a military...
***STATEMENT*** Col Don Christensen’s testimony before DAC IPAD’s 15th meeting, November 15, 2019
Chairwoman Martha Brashford ATTN: DAC-IPAD One Liberty Center 875 N. Randolph Street, Suite 150 Arlington, VA 22203 Madam Chair, Thank...
***STATEMENT*** NEW PENTAGON REPORT FINDS SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY MORE LIKELY TO RESULT IN POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER THAN COMBAT
Washington DC – On Monday, the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report that determined sexual...
Jenny Holzer’s “Thing Indescribable” Exhibit Sheds Light on Sexual Assault with Protect Our Defenders
By Sibylle Whittam Recently, I toured the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. I loved the museum, but was blown away...
ABA Journal: ABE Grant Expands Services for Victims of Rape and Sexual Assault in the Military
ABE Grant Expands Services for Victims of Rape and Sexual Assault in the Military By Amanda Robert September 1, 2019, 12:30...
***STATEMENT*** AIR FORCE ENGAGES IN SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST GEN. HYTEN’S ALLEGED VICTIM LED BY FORMER USAF SEC. WILSON & SEN. MCSALLY
During yesterday’s Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing, Gen. Hyten’s defenders call into question the validity of Col. Spletstoser’s statement based...
***STATEMENT*** AIR FORCE MISLEADS SENATORS AHEAD OF GEN. HYTEN CONFIRMATION HEARING BY CONTRADICTING FINDINGS OF ITS INVESTIGATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2019 Contact: Brian Purchia, 202.253.4330, brian@protectourdefenders.com ***STATEMENT*** AIR FORCE MISLEADS SENATORS AHEAD OF GEN. HYTEN...
***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON WHITE HOUSE TO WITHDRAW NOMINATION OF GEN. HYTEN FOLLOWING COL. SPLETSTOSER’S ALLEGATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
Washington, DC – Last Friday, Army Colonel Kathryn A. Spletstoser, who served two combat tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan as...
Col. Christensen Comments on NYT Article: Army Col. Accuses Nominee for Vice Chair of Joint Chiefs of Staff of Sexual Assault
July 26, 2019 Washington, DC – The link to the full article can be found here. Col. Don Christensen, who...
***STATEMENT*** NEW REPORT SHOWS DRAMATIC GENDER GAP AT MILITARY ACADEMIES CAN BE TRACED BACK TO DISPARITY IN CONGRESSIONAL NOMINATIONS
Numbers show women have rarely exceeded a quarter of the nominations submitted to the taxpayer-funded academies by Members of Congress...
***STATEMENT*** NEW REPORT FROM MARINES SHOWS COSTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CRISIS
Washington DC – Today, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger acknowledged the U.S. Marine Corps’ failure to retain over 25,000 Marines...
Defense Department Ordered to Turn Over Documents on Military Sexual Assault
July 16, 2019 New Haven, CT – On July 12, 2019, a U.S. District Court in Connecticut rejected multiple Defense Department...
GILLIBRAND WRITES TO ACTING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ESPER TO EXPRESS CONCERNS OVER HANDLING OF GENERAL HYTEN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE AND ASK FOR THOROUGH REVIEW
Gillibrand Urges Higher Level Analysis Following Reports that Nominee for Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John...
NDAA Passes with 61 Speier Provisions, Including Breakthroughs in Transgender Service, Legal Rights, Sexual Assault, Women’s Health, Wasteful Spending
Office of Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) July 12, 2019 Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) and two-hundred and nineteen...
House Adopts Connolly Amendment To Protect Domestic Violence Survivors from Gun Violence
Office of Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) July 11, 2019 Washington, DC – Last night, the House of Representatives adopted...
Rep. Speier’s Bill Amending the Feres Doctrine to Allow Servicemembers to Sue for Medical Malpractice Included in House Defense Bill
Office of Congresswoman Jackie Speier July 10, 2019 Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Jackie Speier’s (CA-14) bill creating a medical...
***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON CONGRESS TO PASS MJIA & REFORM BROKEN MILITARY JUSTICE SYSTEM
June 13, 2019 Contact: Brian Purchia, 202.253.4330, brian@protectourdefenders.com ***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON CONGRESS TO PASS MJIA & REFORM...
POD sends letter to Senators Tillis and Gillibrand, addressing the utilization of independent prosecutors in foreign military services
April 25, 2019 Chairman Thom Tillis 113 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand 478 Russell...
Letter to Senators Tillis and Gillibrand in Response to Hearing on Military Services’ Prevention of and Response to Sexual Assault
On March 6, 2019, the Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing on sexual assault in the military, titled “Military...
***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PRESIDENT COL DON CHRISTENSEN (RET.) TO CALL FOR PENTAGON TO EMPOWER PROSECUTORS, RATHER THAN COMMANDERS, WITH THE AUTHORITY TO PROSECUTE SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 2, 2019 Washington, D.C. — Today, the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee will hold a...
Remarks from Protect Our Defenders President Don Christensen at House Armed Services Hearing on Examining the Role of the Commander in Sexual Assault Prosecutions
On Tuesday, April 2nd, the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee will hold a hearing to examine military commanders’...
***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PRESIDENT COL DON CHRISTENSEN (RET.) CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT PROSECUTION OF MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 6, 2019 Washington, D.C. — Today, the United States Senate Armed Services Committee (watch live here)...
Remarks from Protect Our Defenders President Don Christensen at US Senate Committee on Armed Services Hearing on Military Services’ Prevention of and Response to Sexual Assault
Today, the US Senate Committee on Armed Services held a hearing to receive testimony on the Military Services’ prevention of...
Sexual Misconduct Has Reached ‘Crisis’ Point at U.S. Military Academies, Lawmaker Says
The survey estimated 747 cadets and midshipmen experienced such contact or harassment during the 2017-18 academic year, compared to 507...
Remarks from Protect Our Defenders President Don Christensen at House Armed Services Hearing on 2019 Sexual Assault and Violence Report at the Military Services Academies
Today, the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee held a hearing on the results of the Sexual Assault and Violence...
***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PRESIDENT COL DON CHRISTENSEN (RET.) CALLS ON PENTAGON TO EMPOWER MILITARY PROSECUTORS OR TURN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES TO CIVILIAN JUSTICE SYSTEMS AT CONGRESSIONAL HEARING
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 13, 2019 Washington, D.C. — Today, the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee (watch live here)...
***MEDIA ADVISORY*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PRESIDENT COL DON CHRISTENSEN (RET.) TO TESTIFY AT CONGRESSIONAL HEARING AFTER 47% INCREASE IN SEXUAL ASSAULT AT MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMIES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *** MEDIA ADVISORY *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PRESIDENT COL DON CHRISTENSEN (RET.) TO TESTIFY AT CONGRESSIONAL HEARING...
***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARING AFTER REPORT SHOWS 47% INCREASE IN MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMY SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 31, 2019 ***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARING AFTER REPORT SHOWS 47% INCREASE IN...
The flying fraternity: Africa, alcohol and the Afterburner Club
Eleven current and former officials told VTDigger that the Vermont Air National Guard has tolerated a toxic culture of excessive...
Norman Lear, Kirby Dick, ‘SEAL Team’ Actors Talk Tackling the Military on TV
Paula Coughlin, a former Navy lieutenant who was assaulted while in active duty and is now a board member and...
Misconduct in the Military
“Retired Air Force Colonel Don Christensen is President of Protect our Defenders -a group focused on combating sexual violence in...
This Veteran’s Day, Support Survivors of Sexual Violence
“One legislative effort Protect Our Defenders has been deeply involved with has been Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Military Justice Improvement Act...
Failing Private Burnham: How the Army Did Not Protect a Minnesota Soldier after a Sexual Assault
“It’s inconceivable that they let her languish in Korea,” said Don Christensen, president of Protect our Defenders, a Washington D.C....
Marine tribunal recommends officer be forced to retire over sexual harassment claims
“Sadly, I have no faith that absent USA TODAY breaking this scandal that the Marines would have ever held Maj....
Bad Santa: Pentagon releases report on sexual harassment at Navy’s boozy Christmas bash
“Don Christensen, president of Protect Our Defenders, an advocacy group for victims of sexual assault in the military, said Richardson...
Kavanaugh controversy awakens painful memories for some in armed forces
“The struggle to be believed is a longstanding barrier for sexual assault victims. ‘That’s the battle they face every time...
People: Norah O’Donnell Wins Emmy for U.S. Air Force Academy Investigative Report
“When O’Donnell asked one of the women, who chose to remain anonymous, if she regretted reporting her assault, the cadet...
“CBS This Morning” wins Emmy for Air Force Academy sexual assault investigation – CBS News
“CBS This Morning” and co-host Norah O’Donnell won an Emmy for our report on sexual assault in the United States...
Navy Sexual Assault Survivor Gets Discharge Upgrade
“‘I feel like it’s a nightmare coming to an end,’ Cruz said. ‘I feel like I can give hope to...
RAND Report
Don Christensen, a retired Air Force colonel who heads the advocacy group Protect Our Defenders, agreed with RAND’s belief that...
USA Today – Military report: Young women on bases, sailors on ships at greatest risk for sexual assault
“It’s extremely disappointing the Pentagon would delay releasing this report,” said Don Christensen, president of Protect Our Defenders and the...
***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS SAYS DELAYED PENTAGON REPORT PUT TROOPS AND COMMUNITIES NEAR BASES AT RISK FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 21, 2018 ***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS SAYS DELAYED PENTAGON REPORT PUT TROOPS AND COMMUNITIES NEAR BASES...
***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY TO IMMEDIATELY REVIEW CLAIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS THAT WERE WRONGLY DENIED
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 14, 2018 ***STATEMENT*** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY TO IMMEDIATELY REVIEW CLAIMS OF...
Pioneering Female Infantry Marine Kicked Out Of The Corps For Fraternization
“This Marine is now under immense pressure to accept a discharge to avoid a court-martial in the kind of case...
Why Are So Many O-6s Behaving So Badly? And Other Military Mischief
“The reason for the relief a few months ago of the Coast Guard captain commanding its Long Island sector was...