On March 13, the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel held a hearing, “Sexual Assaults in the Military.” Chair Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-SC) heard testimony from three panels of witnesses regarding the pervasiveness of sexual assault in the military, as well as potential reforms to prevent sexual misconduct and to address the challenges faced by victims.
In her testimony, Anu Bhagwati, executive director and co-founder of the Service Women’s Action Network, recommended reforms to the military justice system, saying, “Congress should grant convening authority over criminal cases to trained, professional, disinterested prosecutors. Commanding officers cannot make truly impartial decisions because of their professional affiliation with the accused, and often times with the victim as well.” She continued, “Allowing military victims to pursue civil claims will act as a real deterrent to workplace assault and harassment – a deterrent that does not exist in today’s military.”
Major General Gary S. Patton, United States Army, director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, discussed the importance of preserving the commander’s role in the investigation of sexual assault cases in his testimony, saying, “By DoD policy, sexual assault complaints are investigated by military criminal investigative organizations that are independent of the chain of command. The results of these investigations are provided to commanders, who then are responsible for taking appropriate actions. Removing disciplinary authorities from a commander’s purview would jeopardize the good order and discipline of the unit, and impact unit readiness.”
The following individuals also testified:
