McSally, a retired fighter pilot, revealed during a March Senate hearing that she had been raped in the military. The statistics show about 20,500 instances of “unwanted sexual contact,” a category that includes rape, forcible sodomy, groping and other offenses. Acting defense secretary Patrick Shanahan said the survey makes clear that the Pentagon must do more to address the culture that allows sexual assaults and harassment to persist. We must, and will, do better.”The elevated numbers add fuel to a contentious debate about sexual misconduct in the military and the role commanders play in determining whether to initiate legal proceedings. “I don’t trust lawyers any more than I trust commanders,” said Rachel VanLandingham, former judge advocate in the Air Force.

Source: Washington Post May 02, 2019 17:18 UTC