News Blog

STATEMENT* Senate and House Armed Services Committees Furthers Justice for Military Sexual Assault Survivors in 2023 NDAA Markup

Jun 24 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 24, 2022 **STATEMENT*** Senate and House Armed Services Committees Furthers Justice for Military Sexual Assault Survivors...

STATEMENT* General Court Martialed and Found Guilty on Abusive Sexual Contact Charge for the First Time in Air Force History

Apr 26 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 26, 2022 **STATEMENT*** General Court Martialed and Found Guilty on Abusive Sexual Contact Charge for the...

POD’s Justice Award Goes To…

Apr 21 2022

Each year we give the POD Justice Award to a different legal team dedicated to helping survivors. Last week it...

Congreso Anuncia Acuerdo en Reforma Transformativa sobre Justicia Militar para Enfrentar la Epidemia de Abuso Sexual Militar

Dec 07 2021

**INFORME** Congreso Anuncia Acuerdo en Reforma Transformativa sobre Justicia Militar para Enfrentar la Epidemia de Abuso Sexual Militar Protect our...

Congress Announces Agreement on Transformative Military Justice Reforms to Address Military Sexual Assault Epidemic

Dec 07 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 7, 2021 ***STATEMENT *** Congress Announces Agreement on Transformative Military Justice Reforms to Address Military Sexual...

STATEMENT Washington Post Report Says Congress on Verge of Gutting Sexual Assault Reforms

Dec 06 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ***STATEMENT *** Washington Post Report Says Congress on Verge of Gutting Sexual Assault Reforms After over 30...

STATEMENT Sweeping Military Justice Reform to Be Added to Annual Defense Bill

Jul 23 2021

Washington, DC – Yesterday, the Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by Senator Reed, adopted the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act...

GILLIBRAND STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF MILITARY JUSTICE REFORM BILL IN SENATE ARMED SERVICES SUBCOMMITTEE

Jul 20 2021

Washington, D.C. – Addressing the passage of the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act (MJIIPA) in the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee,...

STATEMENT Congresswoman Speier Introduces the Vanessa Guillén Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act; Joins Forces with Senator Gillibrand and Speaker Pelosi

Jun 23 2021

Washington, DC – Today, Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA), Chair of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, and Representative Michael R....

NEW YORK TIMES: GILLIBRAND MAKES MAJOR PUSH TO REFORM MILITARY JUSTICE SYSTEM

Apr 27 2021

Washington, DC — In case you missed it, the New York Times today published a story detailing U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s major push to...

Remarks from Protect Our Defenders President Don Christensen at the Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing on Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces

Mar 24 2021

Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, March 25, the United States Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Personnel held a hearing...

STATEMENT PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS APPLAUDS PENTAGON’S NEW CIVILIAN-LED COMMISSION ON MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT

Feb 26 2021

Washington, DC – Today, the Pentagon announced the formation of a civilian-led commission to address the epidemic of military sexual assault. The...

STATEMENT SURVIVOR WHO HEIGHTENED FOCUS ON MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT IN VIRAL TIKTOK VIDEO RELEASES OFFICIAL STATEMENT

Feb 24 2021

Updated March 3, 2021 Washington, DC – Last Friday, a TikTok video in which a distraught Marine expresses her grief after finding out the servicemember...

STATEMENT NEW RAND REPORT FINDS ODDS OF LEAVING THE MILITARY DOUBLE AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULT

Feb 09 2021

Washington, DC – The Rand Corporation has released a new report that found sexual assaults and harassment in a single year were associated with...

Speier, Wexton Urge Tighter Security Clearance Protocols to Screen for Ties to White Supremacist Groups

Feb 09 2021

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence...

Join POD’s Don Christensen for a conversation about the military’s racial disparities

Jan 26 2021

Tonight at 7:30PM eastern time. See invite info below.

GILLIBRAND APPLAUDS BIDEN ORDER OVERTURNING BAN ON TRANSGENDER MILITARY SERVICE

Jan 25 2021

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Biden administration announced an executive order overturning a Trump-era rule that barred additional transgender people from serving openly in...

Biden Secretary of Defense Nominee Lloyd Austin Asked About POD Pledge

Jan 21 2021

Washington, D.C. – At his Senate confirmation hearings on January 19, 2021 President Biden’s Defense Secretary nominee Lloyd Austin was...

Celebrate Survivor Heroes

Jan 18 2021

Watch a panel of survivors discuss their experiences… with a special surprise at the end.

Survivors Speak Out About the Work of Protect Our Defenders

Jan 17 2021

Hear what survivors of military sexual assault have to say about Protect Our Defenders. Donate to POD here.