[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 26, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         THE MILITARY DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE RESPONSE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 26, 2006

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, today, I am proud to introduce the 
Military Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Act. This important 
piece of legislation will ensure greater protections for service 
members and their families if they become victims of violence. It also 
will strengthen programs to prevent violence against fellow soldiers 
and military families.
  Unfortunately, sexual assault and domestic violence are pervasive and 
serious problems throughout all branches of the military. In March 
2006, the Department of Defense (DoD) released their second annual 
sexual assault report, which stated that there were 2,374 allegations 
of sexual assaults reported in 2005; this is up from 1,700 the previous 
year. In 2004, the DoD reported 9,000 incidents of spousal abuse. A 
2005 Sexual Harassment and Assault Survey of the Service Academies 
found 6 percent of females and 1 percent of males said they were 
sexually assaulted in 2004-2005, and less than half the females who 
experienced sexual assault reported it. In this same survey, 60 percent 
of female cadets indicated sexual harassment was about the same as when 
they first enrolled at their academy.
  While the DoD has been making efforts to improve its prevention and 
response to domestic and sexual violence, victim services remain 
incomplete and inconsistent among the various branches. There have been 
reports that victims advocates, charged with protecting the victim's 
rights, have been denied resources to do their job, and in some 
instances been forced off the base all together. Furthermore, DoD 
policies are not codified in the Uniform Code of Military Justice 
(UCMJ) and do not offer the same level of rights and protections 
afforded to civilian victims. Perhaps most importantly, victims are 
unable to seek confidential counseling and treatment without fear that 
their records might become public if they press charges against their 
assailant.
  My bill, the Military Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Act, 
seeks to bring military law up to par with civilian laws by 
establishing a comprehensive approach for the military to address 
domestic violence and sexual assault among our soldiers. Specifically, 
this bill will:
  Establish an Office of Victims Advocate (OVA) within DoD, bring the 
Family Advocacy Program under OVA, and create a Director of OVA to 
oversee and coordinate efforts to prevent and respond to cases of 
family violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking with 
the military and among military families;

  Codify rights, restitution policies, treatment and other services for 
victims within the UCMJ, including creating comprehensive 
confidentiality protocols to protect the rights of victims within 
military law;
  Strengthen policies for reporting, prosecuting and treating 
perpetrators of violence; and
  Create counseling and treatment programs through the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
  The military should be at the forefront of prosecuting assailants and 
setting the highest standards for treatment of servicemen and women, or 
military family members, victimized by sexual assault and domestic 
violence. Our Armed Forces must be able to guarantee the most basic 
protedtions to ensure these victims can receive necessary counseling, 
treatment, and justice.
  If a victim cannot access essential care for fear of stigma, public 
embarrassment, threats to their career, or because they just do not 
know what resources are available, the military will continue to lose 
valuable female and male soldiers. These service members put themselves 
in harms way to protect us and our Nation from threats at home and 
abroad. They should not be given lesser rights and protections than the 
civilians whose freedoms they protect. My bill ensures they are 
adequately protected when dealing with the horrible tragedy of sexual 
assault or domestic violence.
  Do not allow our brave service members to be victimized twice, once 
by their perpetrator and then again by the military's lack of 
appropriate, compassionate, and confidential treatment and response.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to join me in cosponsoring the 
Military Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Act.

                          ____________________