Encouraging the STOP Act
This is Lavena Johnson; she was raped and murdered while serving with the United States Army in Iraq. Many of the posts on this blog have centered on sexual assault within the military. It is not because assaults are suddenly happening more often, or more severely. Sexual assaults have been occurring in the military for a long time. The military has recently been in the news due to a Department of Defense report and subsequent hearings on the topic in Congress. Another reason military sexual assault is in the news is the allegations against superior officers at Lackland Air Force Base. Representatives in the House have met with victims of military assault and are working toward the passage of the STOP (Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention) Act. Representative Jackie Speier, D-Calif, introduced this legislation, which would eliminate the chain of command from having the authority to investigate sexual assault allegations ...