Statement: Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish on Department of Defense Report on Sexual Assaults
Today, the Department of Defense released a new report for 2012 that shows sexual assaults at military academies have increased twenty-three percent in the past year, while victims continue to be reluctant to come forward. Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish released the following statement in response.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2012
Contact: Brian Purchia, , brian@protectourdefenders.com
***STATEMENT ***
STATEMENT FROM PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS PRESIDENT NANCY PARRISH ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REPORT ON SEXUAL ASSAULTS
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Department of Defense released a new report for 2012 that shows sexual assaults at military academies have increased twenty-three percent in the past year, while victims continue to be reluctant to come forward. Protect Our Defenders President Nancy Parrish released the following statement in response.
“This report shines a light on the severity and scope of the crisis. It validates our worst fears and what we know to be true because of the number of frantic calls and emails we receive from active duty personnel who continue to be retaliated against for reporting their rape. There is a culture of high tolerance for rape and sexual predators in the ranks that pervades the military and has given rise to the existing epidemic. According to the DoD’s own numbers, assaults and harassment are increasing, so clearly all the reforms that have been announced, over many years — aren’t making a difference.
Victims are afraid to come forward because of the retaliation they face, including victim-blaming, isolation and bad performance reviews, to being kicked out with errant medical discharge like personality disorders. It’s a shameful blight on our nation.
It’s clear that the command structure, the culture, victim care, the investigation and adjudication processes are in need of a major overhaul. To date the military has refused to hold leadership accountable and has shown itself incapable of addressing this crisis.
If the military leadership is sincere in addressing this epidemic then it’s up to them to face the hard truth these numbers represent and look beyond their current thinking. Failing that it’s incumbent upon congress who wrote the UCMJ to reform it and remove the conflict of interest within the chain of command that precludes justice. Until this happens this nightmare won’t end. The epidemic will persist.”
Download documents (PDFs):
2012 Service Academy Gender Relations Survey
APY 11-12 Annual Report on Sexual Assault at the Military Service Academies_DoD Report
