Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Gillibrand, McCaskill, Ayote grill military brass over arrest of sexual assault officer (3 videos)
Gillibrand
McCaskill
Ayote
-------
Female senators grill military brass over arrest of sexual assault prevention officer
Female senators lashed out at top military brass on Tuesday following a damning Pentagon report on sexual assault and the arrest of U.S. Air Force sex abuse prevention officer.
At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) pressed the military leaders to explain why unit commanders should have the power to handle the prosecution and investigation of sexual assault cases.
“This is a regard in which there is clearly insufficient training, insufficient understanding,” Gillibrand said. “If the man in charge for the Air Force of preventing sexual assault is being alleged to have committed a sexual assault this weekend, obviously there is a failing in training and understanding of what sexual assault is and how corrosive and damaging it is to good order and discipline — and how it is undermining the credibility of the greatest military force in the world. This is not good enough.”
She told Gen. Mark Welsh, chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, that many female victims refused to report sexual assaults because they had no faith in the chain of command. Gillibrand said sexual assault cases should be handled by trained prosecutors, since commanders had overturned verdicts in the past.
-snip-
Full article here: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/07/female-senators-grill-military-brass-over-arrest-of-sexual-assault-prevention-officer/
Female senators lashed out at top military brass on Tuesday following a damning Pentagon report on sexual assault and the arrest of U.S. Air Force sex abuse prevention officer.
At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) pressed the military leaders to explain why unit commanders should have the power to handle the prosecution and investigation of sexual assault cases.
“This is a regard in which there is clearly insufficient training, insufficient understanding,” Gillibrand said. “If the man in charge for the Air Force of preventing sexual assault is being alleged to have committed a sexual assault this weekend, obviously there is a failing in training and understanding of what sexual assault is and how corrosive and damaging it is to good order and discipline — and how it is undermining the credibility of the greatest military force in the world. This is not good enough.”
She told Gen. Mark Welsh, chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, that many female victims refused to report sexual assaults because they had no faith in the chain of command. Gillibrand said sexual assault cases should be handled by trained prosecutors, since commanders had overturned verdicts in the past.
-snip-
Full article here: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/07/female-senators-grill-military-brass-over-arrest-of-sexual-assault-prevention-officer/
8 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
and these are strong, articulate, smart women.
Of course, I have all kinds of reasons to be proud of her; she's my senator and was previously my congresswoman here in NY-20. Not only was she extremely popular in what is historically a very red district, but she was the first Democrat elected to that seat after a couple of generations of Republicans. It wasn't even often that Democrats would run a candidate.
And the exciting thing that happened was that President Clinton came to my little burg to campaign for her! I was there, got to hear and see one of the best speakers ever! He really has presence and charisma, couldn't believe I was hearing that familiar and famous voice in person! 
