To: Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY-1)
Remove military sexual assault prosecutions from the chain of command
The military chain of command has failed to adequately protect sexual assault survivors. Republican Senator Rand Paul just signed on to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's call for removing military sexual assault prosecutions from the chain of command. A growing, bipartisan coalition of senators agrees that prosecutions need to be removed from the chain of command. This is huge, and it motivates me even more to continue my fight to get other senators on board.
More than 22,000 sexual assaults in the military were not reported last year because the survivors either feared retaliation or had no faith in the chain of command to prosecute their attackers. Many lose their careers as a result.
Servicemen and servicewomen should not have to fear being attacked by their fellow service members, and they should be able to trust that they'll be protected if they are. Sexual assault is about a rapist exerting power over their victim. Sexual assault is not about sex—it's about crimes against our men and women in the military. This could be your son or daughter. They deserve better.
Every day we wait, more servicewomen and servicemen are at risk of being assaulted without a realistic hope for justice. These are Americans risking their lives to protect our country. Don't they deserve the protection offered to all Americans? Who has their "six?"
Please join your fellow Republicans and others to ensure investigations and prosecutions of sexual assault are done by a civilian entity, such as the NCIS, the FBI, or a similar civilian law enforcement entity.
More than 22,000 sexual assaults in the military were not reported last year because the survivors either feared retaliation or had no faith in the chain of command to prosecute their attackers. Many lose their careers as a result.
Servicemen and servicewomen should not have to fear being attacked by their fellow service members, and they should be able to trust that they'll be protected if they are. Sexual assault is about a rapist exerting power over their victim. Sexual assault is not about sex—it's about crimes against our men and women in the military. This could be your son or daughter. They deserve better.
Every day we wait, more servicewomen and servicemen are at risk of being assaulted without a realistic hope for justice. These are Americans risking their lives to protect our country. Don't they deserve the protection offered to all Americans? Who has their "six?"
Please join your fellow Republicans and others to ensure investigations and prosecutions of sexual assault are done by a civilian entity, such as the NCIS, the FBI, or a similar civilian law enforcement entity.
Why is this important?
My Republican senator, Rand Paul, just signed onto Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's call for removing military sexual assault prosecutions from the chain of command. This is huge, and it motivates me even more to continue my fight to get other senators on board.