Guest Blog: Annamarie’s Story
Annamarie was raped while serving in the US Air Force at the age of 19 and wrongfully discharged. Thirty-six years...
[AUDIO] Protect Our Defenders working to eliminate bias in military justice
Col Don Christensen (ret.), President, Protect Our Defenders and Former US Air Force Chief Prosecutor is interviewed on Michigan Radio’s “Stateside”...
Protect Our Defenders Monthly News – MJIA Edition
A message from Protect Our Defenders President Col Don Christensen (ret.): Here is a recap of top stories about stopping...
Terri Odom: On Serving Your Country In The Military and Being LGBT
A message from Protect Our Defenders Advisory Board Member Terri Odom: LGBTQ service members have been silenced throughout history. Many...
STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders Calls on President Obama to Support Victims After MJIA Vote
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 16, 2015 *** STATEMENT *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON PRESIDENT OBAMA TO SUPPORT SEXUAL ASSAULT...
Col Don Christensen: Military Justice Improvement Act Ensures Justice
Military Justice Improvement Act Ensures Justice By Don Christensen, Former Air Force Chief Prosecutor and Protect Our Defenders President Col...
PRESS RELEASE: New Report Show Pentagon Misleads Public on Sexual Assault Crisis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 9, 2015 *** PRESS RELEASE *** NEW REPORT SHOWS PENTAGON MISLEADS PUBLIC ON SEXUAL ASSAULT CRISIS...
[VIDEO] Senator Gillibrand Speaks In Support of The Military Justice Improvement Act
Watch Senator Kirsten Gillibrand speak on the floor of the Senate urging her colleagues to support the Military Justice Improvement Act...
May News Roundup: DC press conference, WaPo editorial, @potus Twitter campaign
Here’s the top news from the past month on our fight against sexual assault and harassment in the military. New...
News Coverage Roundup – New Report Highlights Retaliation Against Military Sexual Assault Survivors
On May 18, at a press conference in Washington, D.C., Human Rights Watch and Protect Our Defenders released a report...
Ask President Obama to #EndVictimBlaming Against Military Sexual Assault Survivors
A message from Protect Our Defenders President Don Christensen: President Obama told victims of military sexual assault that he has...
[VIDEO] CNN: Miranda Petersen on Military Sexual Assault and Retaliation Against Victims
Miranda Petersen, Protect Our Defenders’ Program and Policy Director speaks with Carol Costello on CNN Newsroom.
Stars and Stripes: Report: Most military sexual assault victims still face retaliation
Protect Our Defenders President Col. Don Christensen is featured in this Stars and Stripes article: But Christensen, who served in...
Reuters: Retaliation hurts military bid to curb sexual assault: report
Protect Our Defenders is mentioned in this Reuters article: “The U.S. military’s progress in getting people to report sexual assaults...
USA Today: Insults to injury: Military sexual-assault victims endure retaliation
Protect Our Defenders President Col. Don Christensen is featured in this USA Today article “Retaliation doesn’t encourage people to report,”...
STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders’ Remarks from Human Rights Watch Press Conference
*** STATEMENT *** REMARKS FROM MIRANDA PETERSEN, PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PROGRAM AND POLICY DIRECTOR AT HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH PRESS...
PRESS RELEASE: Protect Our Defenders and Human Rights Watch Release Report on Retaliation of Military Sexual Assault Survivors
***Download raw footage: http://multimedia.hrw.org/distribute/dsrcwzqlox FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 18, 2015 *** PRESS RELEASE *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS AND HUMAN RIGHTS...
The US Military’s Sexual-Assault Problem Is So Bad the UN Is Getting Involved
Mother Jones reports: Denmark’s representative to the UN Human Rights Council, Carsten Staur, recommended “removing from the chain of command...
US troops charged with crimes in Italy often elude punishment
Stars and Stripes reports: In an Italian court last month, Pvt. Darius McCullough was convicted of rape and sentenced to...
The US Military’s Sexual-Assault Problem Is So Bad the UN Is Getting Involved
Mother Jones reports: The US military has a problem with sexual violence. That’s the conclusion of the Universal Periodic Review...
Improve response to sex crimes in the military
From an op-ed in the Missoulian supporting Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-NY) Military Justice Improvement Act: It is our belief that...
New York Times Op-Ed: Stop Assaults on Military Campuses
From the opinion pages of the New York Times: There is a simple way for President Obama, in his capacity...
Twice as many sex assault victims opting out
Protect Our Defenders President Col. Don Christensen is featured in this Air Force Times article: But retired Col. Don Christensen,...
In light of new report, ROTC students ponder military’s sexual assault policies
USA Today reports: For students enrolled in Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) or those considering enlisting in the armed forces...
Editorial: Protecting our service members against sexual assault
The Washington Post editorial board writes in support of fundamental reform: A DEFENSE Department report this month found that fewer...
No witnesses or arguments at Air Force Academy sexual assault hearing
The Colorado Springs Gazette reports: The academy said the brief hearing came amid changes in military procedures for evidence hearings....
Senator Says Pentagon ‘Declaring Victory’ as It Distorts Sexual Assault Numbers
ABC News reports: When the Pentagon released a new report last Friday detailing what one top official described as “meaningful...
Sexual Assault By Military Personnel Still Hidden ‘In The Shadows,’ US Senator Says
The International Business Times reports: Just days after the Pentagon said its initiatives to tackle sexual assault in the military...
[VIDEO] Military sex assaults ‘far greater’ than reported, says Senator
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand joins Andrea Mitchell to talk about why the numbers in the Defense Department’s annual report on sex...
STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders Responds to Sen. Gillibrand’s Report on Military Sexual Assault
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 4, 2015 *** STATEMENT *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RESPONDS TO NEW MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT REPORT THAT...
[VIDEO] Bulk of women soldiers who report sexual assault report retaliation
A survey published this week showed that a large percentage of women soldiers who reported unwanted sexual advances said they...
AP: Pentagon struggles to assess, stamp out retaliation in sexual assault cases
The Associated Press reports: It’s not against the law or military regulations to choose not to sit with someone in...
STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders Responds to New Military Sexual Assault Report
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1, 2015 *** STATEMENT *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RESPONDS TO NEW REPORT EXPOSING RAMPANT RETALIATION AND...
April news roundup from Protect Our Defenders
Here’s your monthly digest of top news on our fight against sexual assault in the military. New Whistleblower Legislation Yesterday,...
PRESS RELEASE: Madeleine Albright Joins Protect Our Defenders Advisory Board
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 14, 2015 *** PRESS RELEASE *** FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT JOINS PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS...
[VIDEO] Revealed: Violent, Sexual Unofficial Air Force Songbook
In an interview with MSNBC, former Chief Prosecutor of the Air Force and Protect Our Defenders President Col Don Christensen...
[AUDIO] NPR: When Civilians Accuse Troops Of Rape, Military Courts Often Decide
This NPR story exposes how civilian survivors of sexual assault in the military are forced to navigate an unfair justice...
Think Progress: This Lawsuit Could Change How The Military Handles Sexual Assault
Protect Our Defenders President Col Don Christensen is featured in this piece from Think Progress: But many who work on...
Daily Beast: The U.S. Air Force’s ‘Sick’ Rape & Party Songbook
Protect Our Defenders President Col Don Christensen (ret.) and Communications Director Brian Purchia are featured in this Daily Beast article:...
USA Today: Suit revives controversy on Air Force explicit songbook
Protect Our Defenders President Col. Don Christensen is featured in this USA Today article: Retired Col. Don Christensen, a former...
Air Force songbook contains pornographic, misogynistic lyrics
Protect Our Defenders President Col Don Christensen (ret.) is featured in this article from Stars and Stripes: The songbook is...
Research Suggests Many Cases of Military Sexual Assault Are More Violent than Reported
The Independent Vote Network reports: While the estimated number of sexual assaults have dropped, the Military Times reports that the...
Washington Post: Male on male sexual assault in the military: Overlooked and hard to fix, investigation finds
The Washington Post reports: Here’s a scenario: A male U.S. service member is hanging out with others from his unit...
STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders Responds to GAO Report, Impact of Sexual Assault on Male Servicemembers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 20, 2015 *** STATEMENT *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS RESPONDS TO GAO REPORT THAT FINDS THE PENTAGON...
The Forgotten Victims Of Military Sexual Assault: Men
Former Chief Prosecutor and President of Protect Our Defenders, Colonel Don Christensen USAF (ret) is featured in this article from...
Fort Hood prostitution case shows military’s challenges with sexual assault
The Christian Science Monitor reports: The details of a Fort Hood, Texas, prostitution ring – involving US soldiers recruiting cash-strapped...
[AUDIO] Military Sexual Assault Survivors Find Healing In Therapy, Education and Service
Listen to this piece from WYSO’s, Veterans Voices, part of a public media effort to support veterans. Ashlie Hawes and...
Fort Hood sergeant pleads guilty in pimping scheme that used female soldiers
The San Antonio Express-News reports: A Fort Hood soldier pleaded guilty Wednesday to a long list of charges stemming from...
Disruptive Women in Healthcare: Destruction of Lives with the Stroke of a Pen
Victims of sexual assault in the military are often misdiagnosed with personality or adjustment disorders. Protect Our Defenders Founder Nancy...
STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders Calls on Congress to Investigate Military’s Failure to Track Mental Health Discharges
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *** STATEMENT *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS CALLS ON CONGRESS TO INVESTIGATE MILITARY’S FAILURE TO TRACK MENTAL HEALTH...