Though it has been a while since our last post, we have been busy executing on our mission to Empower, Educate & Enable survivors of sexual assault and trauma, perpetrated by military service members. In the coming weeks we will be sharing details about our efforts, the progress made thus far and our current initiatives. So while our blog has been quiet, we have been actively engaged in the ongoing battle for victims rights within the military justice system. We hope you will stay tuned, offer feedback and even spread the word to the countless members of this community, our community, who may need support, connection or just a bit of hope. Here’s a preview of what is coming to this blog.
Overview – Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces (DAC-IPAD) (https://dacipad.whs.mil/) and why it is so important.
Survivors United on Capitol Hill – Recap of meetings with members and staff from the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) (https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/) and House Armed Services Committee (HASC) (https://armedservices.house.gov/)
Summaries of recent DAC-IPAD meetings where Survivors United members testified.
Overview of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and how Survivors United has influenced policy.
Troubling report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies.
Mishandling of Sexual Assault Kits (SAKI)
Recent decision by the Supreme Court in the Mellette case and its implications
The Military Reform Coalition
As we strive to elevate the voice of survivors within a system that, for so long, has mostly dismissed them, we hope you will join us. Our stories, your story, the stories of victims that have been mostly silenced, are powerful. They deserve to be told and often are the catalyst for change. They are quite literally informing the policy and procedures that will define the experience of future victims in the military judicial system.