Women in a War Zone:
Republicans Betray Survivors of
Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
Brooke Axtell Forbes.com
February, 15, 2012
Last week Republicans blocked the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the law that sustains national efforts to help survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.
Law enforcement and victim advocacy groups strongly support renewal of the law. Although it previously passed through Congress with bi-partisan support, this year not one Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted in favor of reauthorization.
To read the full piece at the She Negotiates blog on Forbes.com, click here.
Fox News’ Liz Trotta Doubles Down On Statements About Rape In The Military
Rebecca Shapiro The Huffington Post
February 21, 2012
Fox News pundit Liz Trotta responded to the barrage of criticism that was unleashed after she made a series incendiary statements regarding rape in the military.
Trotta appeared on Fox News on Sunday. Fox News host Eric Shawn said Trotta “indicated that women who put their lives on the line for their country in close proximity to men are courting sexual assault. Some people understood [Trotta] to be saying that because of this, they are less deserving of protection from violent crime from their male counterparts, particularly because [she] criticize[s] the Pentagon’s sex abuse programs that are put in place to protect them.”
To read the full post at The Huffington Post, click here.
To view the Protect Our Defenders petition asking Fox News to fire Liz Trotta, click here.
The Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention Act
The STOP Act
Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco, San Mateo) introduced legislation on November 16, 2011 to dramatically reform how sexual assaults and rape in the military are treated (download bill summary.) Speier stated, “For too long the military’s response to rape victims has been: ‘take an aspirin and go to bed.’ We owe our brave women and men in the military a justice system that protects them, not punishes them when they become victims of sexual assaults and rape committed by other service members.”
“To end this needless injustice, I am proposing a legislative remedy and fully endorsing the website, Protect Our Defenders, which will provide the grass roots mechanics required to make our military leaders and Congress understand that what has been going on before their very eyes for decades is unconscionable and must be stopped. We owe our brave women and men in the military a justice process that protects them, not punishes them when they become victims of sexual assaults and rape.”
To visit the web site of Protect Our Defenders, click here.
And consider signing their petition demanding that Congress create a NEW method for reporting sexual assault in the military.
Congresswoman Speier has made over a dozen speeches to Congress on the topic of rape and sexual assault in the military, to view them on her web site, click here. Or view the videos on usmvaw.com, here.
Helen Benedict has written a piece on the STOP Act and why it matters at the Ms. Blog. To read it, click here.
For a look at the media reports on The Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention Act — the STOP Act, click the links below:
This blog is part of a collaborative project designed to deepen and broaden understandings of the relationships between U.S. militarism, foreign policy, imperialism, racism, sexism, and violence against girls and women. Please take a look at the page, Our Mission for more information on the project.
Women in a War Zone:
