"[patriotic music]" "♪" " Today, the latest weapons," "Coupled with the fighting skill of the american soldier," "Stand ready on the alert all over the world" "To defend this country," "You, the american people, against aggression." "This is the big picture." "Now, to show you part of the big picture," "Here is sergeant stuart queen." " The privilege of serving the United States in uniform" "Is no longer limited to men." "[patriotic music]" "♪" " The value placed by the women's army corps" "On meticulous grooming and feminine grace" "Is one of the first lessons learned by the recruit." " There were demands that would require of her" "Perfect physical health and stamina." " Cadence count." "All:" "One, two, three, four." "One, two-- three, four!" " I'm sure you've all heard the saying," ""there's a right way, a wrong way, and the army way."" "[the women's army corps' duty ]" " ♪ duty is calling you and me ♪" "♪ we have a date with destiny ♪" "♪ ready" "♪ the wacs are ready" "♪ their pulse is steady" "♪ the world to set free" "♪ service" "♪ we're in it heart and soul" "♪ victory is our only goal ♪ [fading, airplane whooshing]" " ♪ we're looking for computer specialists ♪" " ♪ lab technicians" " ♪ plumbers - ♪ carpenters" " ♪ electricians - ♪ art illustrators" "♪ statisticians" " ♪ air controllers" " ♪ security police" " ♪ auto mechanics - ♪ fire chiefs" "♪ look up" "♪ we look up here in the air force ♪" " 212, radar contact." "Turn right heading 150." " With a fogbound helicopter hanging" "On your every word," "It doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman," "Only that you're good." " Coming up slowly." " ♪ be all that you can be" " Thanks for your help." " Roger." " ♪ 'cause we need you in the army ♪" " I'm flying a helicopter right now." " Don't second-guess yourself." " It's a lot of work, but it's totally worth it." " I would just always see the movies of the military," "And I just knew that was me." "That's what I wanted to do." "It's what I wanted to be." "There was a--a waiting list for the navy, over a year." "And I knew I didn't wanna wait that long," "So, um, I had a friend tell me about the coast guard." "And I went to the coast guard and they said" "That they could get me in within a month, so" "I said, "okay, ship me off."" " I tried college and, um" "I had a good job at a vineyard in east texas." "I had bought my own little house." "And the military was something I always wanted to do." "I come from a military family." "I always taught that it's every citizen's duty" "To join the military." "If you can, you should." "And so I wanted to go ahead and join," "And start a career." " I joined the air force." "I was 17 years old." "I had a boyfriend that encouraged me to go in." "So that's what I did." "My mom signed, gave me permission to go." " When I was in high school, I was impressed" "With the marines that I had met." "There used to be a lieutenant colonel" "That used to run laps around the track" "After soccer practice." "And he said, "you'd be perfect for the marine corps," ""'cause you're really fit and smart." "And that's what the marine corps needs."" "The professionalism, the camaraderie," "Everything about it inspired me." " After I graduated high school," "I left for orlando, florida, which was" "The first time I was ever on an airplane in my life." "[chuckles]" "Initially it was just wanting to go see the world, 'cause I'm from a really small town." "I had a college scholarship to go play basketball," "But I instead opted to go into the military." "You know, it's what I chose to do." " I come from a long line of military lineage." "Somebody from every generation on both sides of the family," "All the way back to the revolutionary war," "Had served in the armed forces." "I chose the marine corps because" "No one in my family had ever done it." " I love putting on a uniform every day" "And, you know, just getting out there" "And giving it my all, and" "It's a very proud feeling." "All: 1, 1,000, 2, 1,000, 3, 1000," "All:" "He's a piece..." " I would have done boot camp over and over again." "It was great, the camaraderie, the discipline." "Everything it taught you" "Who I wanted to be," "That's what they taught you there." " Obviously it was different taking a shower" "With 80 different people all of the sudden, 'cause I was pretty shy." "Um, but, just a great experience." "I was a 4-"o" sailor." "Every single report done on me was," ""excellent, great."" "I knew what I needed to do in my job." "I was a great team leader." " I really enjoyed the whole challenge of it." "I got several different awards and kudos." "It was mainly men." "I loved that I could blend in," "And keep up with the guys, and work as hard as I did." "[cheers and applause]" " The naval academy was challenging." "The education was top-notch." "My senior year I was selected to be" "One of the top 30 leadership positions" "By the company-grade officers there." " After basic, I went to" "Naval security group, adak, alaska." "I remember getting there, you know," "Issued a parka." "Got set up in my room, and then he" "Took me to the "bar," which was in our barracks" "And set down at a table where it was me" "And about ten other guys." "And, you know, kinda felt like a piece of meat" "On a slab, at that point." "And I never wanted to turn around and leave" "So much in my life, but I couldn't." " Hi, mama." " You go." "You go get it this time." " Okay." " Get him." "Get him." " [excited babbling]" " Hey, you give me that ball." " Roller derby style, get him." " No, I got it." "[giggling]" " I met kori December 17th of 2007." "I was on watch when she got to the station." "And, uh, she kinda just blew me away when she walked in." " Cookies, right?" "Is that what you ordered?" "Okay, thank you." " The command told us that she was coming," "And there were some issues." "But we didn't-- none of the crew knew" "Exactly what had happened." "And I didn't find out, um, for a long time." " The heart, for mommy." "Where's the heart?" "He loved his job." "And it's kinda like he gave it up for me." " She loved the coast guard more than I did." "She wanted to make it a career." "But seeing how they treated her," "I, uh, I didn't wanna stay in." "I did it and then I did my extra year and I got out." "I could believe what had happened to her" "And what she had went through." " I was stationed in saginaw river, michigan." "I was the only female in my section." "I had a supervisor." "It got to the place where I'd get calls" "At 3:00 in the morning and he'd be drunk at a bar," "Telling me to come get him." "And I'm like, "I can't, I'm in bed."" "And he would then threaten me." "I'd walk in from training and he'd be" "Sleeping in my bed." "When we went to one of the higher-ups," "The chain of command," "They were all, like, his--his drinking buddy," "And they told me just 'cause I didn't like somebody" "They weren't gonna switch me away from this guy." "It was in the evening around taps," "And he had unlocked the door, and he had come in." "And he had an erection and he" "Tried to get me to touch him." "And I took my right hand and I pushed him in the chest." "And started to yell for the other guys" "To kinda hear me-- "hey, hey, hey."" "Um, he hit me across the left side of my face." "I remember holding the closet thinking," ""what just happened?"" "And my face hurt so bad." "[crying]" "And when we went to the command about it," "Me and this petty officer who saw my face," "They just-- they let it wait, 'cause they didn't want any kind of problems going on." "A couple weeks later, I needed the key" "To do my clean-up." "So I knocked on his door and he said," ""okay, yeah, come on in here." "It's in here."" "And I said, "no, no, no, I'm gonna wait out here."" "And he screamed at me and he made me come in." "And he grabbed my arm." "[crying]" "And he raped me in his berthing area." " Everything came to a complete change" "The day that I was raped." " I got there in February." "Um, by April, I was drugged and raped for the first time." " I had, like, a cold or pneumonia-like symptoms," "And so they sent me to get checked out." "And while I was waiting to be examined," "He came in and he helped himself." " He said he was going to the bathroom," "And he came into my room and" "And that's when he raped me." " The entire time, I was screaming" "And yelling for help and for him to stop." "Nobody came to the door." "Nobody came to help me, came to my rescue, or anything." " They made it very, very clear" "That if I said anything," "They were going to kill me." "Um, you know, and then of course," "I didn't have anyone to go talk to," "Because the people that were perpetrating me" "Were the police." " It was my first time ever." "And it-- I've had a tough time" "Convincing myself that I'm still a virgin." " If this happening to me, you know," "I can only-- surely I'm not the only one." "In which I found out later," "Going through the claims process," "That I wasn't." " It's just after 3:00 a.M." "I see shadow of a human head over my body." " Next think you know, like, I wake up." "And, like, he's on top of me." " He pushed my legs apart and put himself on top of me" "And started pulling at my shirt." " And I wake up and that-- he's on top of me." "He's already penetrated me." " I was drugged." "I remember the sounds, the smell." " He put his locked and loaded .45" "At the base of my skull," "Engaged the bolt so that I knew" "There was a round chambered." " All I could do was continue to concentrate on breathing." " He slammed my head against the concrete wall," "And, um, very forcefully had sex with me." " I just went to my tent, pulled a sleeping bag" "Over my head, and cried myself to sleep." " So, within the two week period," "He raped me five times." " When we got tested," "I had trich and, uh, gonorrhea." "And I was pregnant." " He did." "He raped me." " In 1991, in congressional testimony," "It was estimated that 200,000 women" "Had been sexually assaulted so far" "In the u.S. Military." "If you take into account that women don't report," "Because of the extreme retaliation." "And that was, you know, more than a decade ago." "Um, I would say you could easily double that number" "And it's probably somewhere near about 500,000 women" "Have now been sexually assaulted in the u.S. Military." " Well, according to the department of defense, 3,230 women and men reported assault" "In the last fiscal year, fiscal year of 2009." "But they also admit, d.O.D. Itself," "That 80% of sexual assault survivors do not report." "So if you do the math, 16,150 service members were assaulted," "Which is an extraordinary number." "[pills rattling]" " We have more in the cars, rob." "There's some in here too." "This all was prescribed in the last three to four months." "This is paroxetine." "This is seroquel." "Citalopram." "This is xanax." "I'm tired of taking all these meds." "I just want the v.A. To fix my jaw." "I was having the most horrible pain in my face." "But I went to the dentist, 'cause I thought" "It was my teeth, or something was wrong." "The doctor came in after the x-rays" "And asked me if I'd been in a car accident." "When he hit me my face," "He dislocated my jaw," "And sent both of my discs forward in my face." "So I don't have any discs where they should be in my face." "They told me I'd probably need" "A partial bone replacement" "From where my bone had been laying on my nerves for so long," "It's starting to actually disintegrate." "I've been on a soft diet for five years now." "I can't eat the foods that I used to eat." "Everything is mashed potatoes, jell-o." " Whoo!" " Ready." " Well, I can go out during the summertime," "Springtime if it's warm." "If it's too cold outside," "It's usually just rob and shea go outside." "When it's really cold, it's, like," "My jaw will just lock up." "I just stand, watch from the window," "And hear about the stories when they come in." " We are sorry, but due to a large volume of calls," "And unusually long wait times," "Counselors are unable to answer your call at this time." " Please stay on the line, as calls will be answered" "In the order received." "[on hold music]" " 15 minutes could save you hundreds on car insurance." " It's a st." "Louis holiday tradition." "[mouthing along] - ♪ been away for awhile now" "♪ you got me feeling like a child now ♪" " Hey, this is stan." " Hi, stan, I just wanted to check" "That status of my v.A. Claim." " There's still no final decision on it yet." " Okay, it's-- - looks like it's about" "A year old now." " Yes, it is." "Um, okay, it's still pending?" " Yes, ma'am." " Did it say what status it was in?" " Well, it looks like they've gathered" "All the information that they, um, need." "But it still hasn't moved to the arraigning board yet." " Okay." " Thank you for calling, ma'am." "You have a good day." " You too, thank you." "This is the stuff they prescribed me for migraines," "Even though I don't have migraines." "So I was looking online and there's actually" "Other vets at the age of, like, 25, and they just" "They would actually just die" "Because their body wasn't processing." "'cause the mixture of the seroquel," "The gabapentin, the, um" "Some kind of anxiety, which was the xanax," "And there was something else" "And an antidepressant." "The mixtures of that stuff, which is everything" "I have here, that other vets were taking" "And they have died." " Hey, baby girl." "Hey, hey." " Ah, sit." " Sit, sit." "Can you sit, baby?" "Both my dad an my brother are prior navy" "And now army national guard." "And it's kinda like it follows in the family" "And follows the footsteps." "I was excited and completely just hyped up about going." "And all my family was proud of me." "My dad is my biggest hero." " I told her, I said, "you're gonna be taken care of."" "And I guess that's one of the hard things" "That I have to accept, because I told her" "That she would be" "It was in February." "We got a call." " Once he was done," "He rubbed his hand all over my entire body." "And told me--he said, "I own all of this."" "And I was just absolutely scared," "Didn't know what to do." "I called my dad." " One of the first things she said is," ""dad, I'm no longer a virgin."" "And, uh-- [crying]" "I said, "what happened?"" " She said, "I was raped."" " And I said, "hannah, you're a virgin." ""because he took something from you" "That you didn't give."" "[crying]" "I said, "so don't ever think you're not."" " My main nerve in my spine was pinched in three places" "And my hips were rotated." "I could barely walk." "I had collapsed due to muscle spasms in my back," "Because my back was injured during the rape." " My title is director of military plans" "And personnel policy for the navy." "We have specifically trained judge advocates," "Our navy lawyers, and our naval criminal" "Investigative service." "Those investigators, they're all specifically trained" "In sexual assault." "Any report of a sexual assault" "Is fully investigated in the United States navy." " They didn't take care of it." "For a year and a half," "They were tracking down witnesses." "They had all these students there." "And they could have locked 'em down" "And said, "hey, you're on legal hold" "Until get this statement." and they didn't." "Hannah went through three investigators." "It was like, "okay, I'm given this case."" "That's what it sort of felt like." ""oh, all right, I'm given this case." ""I gotta take care of it." ""oh, well, this is an e-1." "I really don't have the time to deal with it."" " Females would come up to their commanders" "Or their n.C.O.S and say that they were" "Either sexually assaulted or abused." "And I don't think it was taken seriously." "I think a lot of times a cursory investigation was done," "And they were basically told to just suck it up." " I remember bringing in a young service member" "Who had been brutally raped." "And bringing her in to see her command." "And trying to make sure that this young girl" "Was taken care of properly." "And this idiot-- [chuckles]" "This idiot chewed her out for crying." "He told her to stop crying over spilt milk." " A lot of times the credibility of the witness" "Was called into account." "Had the potential victim, had she made" "Claims like this in the past?" "There was a lot of witch-hunting going on." " I was ordered to advise a victim" "Of her rights for false statement" "When I knew that she wasn't lying." "I asked to bring her in and advise her of her rights," "Like a criminal, and interrogate her" "For false statement." "Quote, unquote, "until I got the truth out of her."" "If a woman makes a rape complaint," "There are always people asking" "What she was doing there, what she was wearing," "Whether she had a boyfriend or not." " If rape cases came in, they were never given to women." "Um, the men always took care of those." " Why's that?" " Because we were too sympathetic." " Is that what they said to you?" " Mm-hmm." "We didn't" "We couldn't see what was really going on," "Because we always took the woman's side." " I was told I should have been a social worker." "I had no business being in the police field." "There was a lot of resistance there, uh" "Toward the idea that victim's should be" "Afforded some kind of sensitivity." "It was--it was almost a laughing matter." " We have given specific training" "And continual training to our n.C.I.S.," "Navy criminal investigative service," "Those investigators, on how best to, um," "Respond and to investigate those crimes." " They told me they lost my rape kit, and my" "My nurse examiner's report," "And the pictures from the bruisings on my" "From the bruising on my arm." " They lost these things?" " That's what they told me." "They had told me that they had lost 'em." "And me being me, I decided" "To do a little digging of my own." "And I spoke with n.C.I.S. Headquarters" "In washington d.C." "And they have all the evidence." " So what does this mean?" " Because the case is already closed," "There's nothing they can do." "[door buzzes]" " What we hear again and again from soldiers" "Who have been raped is that as bad" "As it was being raped, what was as bad," "If not worse, was to receive" "Professional retaliation" "In their chosen career" "Merely because they were raped." " When you report something," "You better be prepared for the repercussions." " If a man gets accused of rape, it's a setup." "The woman's lying." " I could choose to report it," "But if I wasn't, you know" "If they found out that what I was saying" "Wasn't to be truthful, then I would be reduced in rank." " You could your rate." "You could lose rank." "You could lose your school if you file a false report." "So do you wanna file a report?" "[laughs]" " Even with the rape kit and everything," "And--and--my friend catching him raping me," "They still don't believe me." " I reported it two different times to my squad leader." "And he told me that there is nothing he can do about it, 'cause I didn't have any proof." " They actually did charge me with adultery." "I wasn't married, he was." " They took me before my lieutenant commander." "He says, "you think this is funny?"" "And I said, "what do you mean?"" "He's like, "is this all a joke to you?"" "I was like, "what do you mean?"" "And he goes, "you're the third girl" ""to report rape this week." ""are you guys, like, all in cahoots?" "Do you think this is a game?"" " We are sorry, but due to a large volume of calls," "And unusually long wait times," "Counselors are unable to answer your call at this time." " Okay." " Your name, please." " It's kori danielle mcdonald." " Okay." "I show that we've got a claim open" "For a non-service connected disability pension." "Depression, t.M.J., unilateral disc condition," "P.T.S.D., nerve damage, and I'm trying to" "That's gone to the arraigning board in cleveland." " Okay, and how long does that usually take?" " Anywhere from 102 to 139 days." " Really?" " That's just an estimated time frame." " 139 days?" "I mean, that's, like" "I've already been waiting, like, waiting 14 months." "What the fuck is going on up there?" "Like, what the fuck is going on with the v.A.?" "Like, my shit is new and it's 14 months?" "I bet if were there in person" "They'd have to do something." "[engine starts]" " Are you ready?" "Say, "ready."" "Do you know where we're going?" "Both:" "Where we going?" " Beach." " No, to the doctor." "Why are we going to the doctor?" "What hurts on mommy?" " Face." " My face, that's right." " You're gonna want to get on 75 north." " On 75 north?" " Yep." "This goes everywhere with me." "And then this goes everywhere with me." "You always have protection with jesus," "But sometimes you need just a little bit more." " All right." " I love you." " I love you, too." " I will." " Be good." " Mommy, mommy." " Mommy'll be out in a minute, all right?" "Say bye to mama." " Be good." " Bye-bye." " In doctor appointments, I come to every one, um," "Just in case she gets worked up." "And she's uneasy around men already," "So, um, I have my phone up on me." "And you know, she already has" "I tell her to have a text message" "Or me on speed dial if she needs to get out of there." " Big surprise, big surprise, big surprise." " We'll get you a big surprise." "Come on." "How'd it go?" "What'd they say?" " Uh, it went good." "They-- - mama!" " Of course they-- they ordered a back x-ray" "Instead of a face x-ray, but" "Here, here's some makeup." "They should have-- they should know" "They should know what's wrong with me." "Like, read my stuff and you'll see that it's my face." "It's not my back." "It's not my legs, my arms." "It's my face." " So the people who need" "The proof don't even know what your case is even about." "Like, I don't even know why we wasted the gas money," "The trip, anything." "It was completely a waste of time." "What a good veteran's day, right?" " Yeah, it's a perfect way to spend it." " Yeah." "Screw it." "[dog barking]" " All right, it's around midnight on October 24th." "And kori woke up myself and our baby." "She woke up screaming." "So, uh, it's been happening quite a bit." "[baby shouting excitedly]" " Go, go, go." "Oh!" " Got any more?" " I'm sorry I woke you up, but it's fun, right?" "We're having fun." " Can we dive more?" " Yeah, let's put more in." " I know kori almost likes it better, 'cause it's quiet." "And, you know, really no one to run into at night." " Here." " Because it was an isolated duty station," "They were in charge, and we were just" "Kinda like cattle." "So" "That was the first time that I was drugged and raped." "I was in this room with some of my friends." "And I only had, like, one or two drinks." "And I went and laid down." "It was, like, instantly." "I was not feeling well, and came to" "To having a pillow over my head," "And my "friend" raping me." "And that went on repeatedly." "You had to call an operator to get a line off base." "So, they listened to your phone calls." "So they were screened." "And I used to call my dad and beg him" "To get me out of there." "He would always ask me, "hon, well, what's wrong?"" "And I'm like, "I can't tell you what's wrong," ""because the people that are listening" ""to our phone calls are the same" "People that could hurt me."" " Most sex offenders are hunters." "Just like any hunter, they study their prey." "They study their movements." "They study their behaviors." "They study the environment." " You have rapists that prey on other human beings." "They--they stalk them." "They wait until the victim is at" "The most vulnerable point in time" "To perpetrate their crimes." " A lot of times, the victim is somebody" "That the suspect is very familiar with," "And they're very aware of what's going on." " Most sex offenders have this hidden persona" "That nobody ever sees except for the victim." "Therefore, when they're caught, or if somebody reports," "People don't tend to believe that" "Because they don't see the typical sex offender." " If it's an officer, it's an officer" "That has habitually in the past" "Preyed on an enlisted." "They would do it once, they'd get away with it." "And then they think, "wow, this was pretty easy." "Um, I'm gonna try it again."" " Particularly for a savvy perpetrator" "To work within a relatively closed system," "Like the military," "It becomes a prime, um" "Sort of target-rich environment for a predator." " When I was discharged, I moved to seattle" "Where things got really bad." "I started to lose everything." "I was homeless." "And there was addiction." "I was selling drugs, packing a gun." " 40% of homeless female veterans" "Have been raped while they were serving." "They spin into such depression and abuse" "That they can't hold jobs." "They can't hold their lives together" "And they end up on the streets." " My partner, amy, uh, I met her a few years ago." "I was going and trying to do some stuff at the gym and" "And, uh..." "[chuckles]" " When I first saw trina, I was at the gym." "And I look over and it was like the universe" "Was, like, "there you go."" "And in my head I was like, "well, there you are."" "Well, I knew there was something "special" about her." " [laughs] wow." " For sure." "When we first started dating, it was hard." "The biggest hurdle was not taking p.T.S.D. Personally." "It does get really stressful." "[video game gunshots]" " What's that?" " A trader." " Trader?" " Yeah." " Oh, like a vendor?" " Yeah." " Oh." "Not like, "I'm a traitor."" "Like, "you bastard traitor," that kind of thing?" "[laughter] okay." " If I've ever lived with anybody," "It's just been with that person." "So when I moved in, it was like, "oh, my god."" "You know, it was amy, three boys." " "I'm not just moving in with amy," "I'm moving in with an entire family."" " And I was like, "oh, my god."" " Yeah." " So they were so used to so, you know, such open space." "And with my p.T.S.D., you know?" "Yeah, we had some moments." " I'm sort of sad to have never known trina beforehand." " Yeah." " When she was sort of" "In her-- in her prime." "Now she's anxious and sad a lot." " You gonna go" "You gonna go protect me, mitch?" "Suzy, come." "Let's go." "A lot of times if, like, we're out doing something," "You know, mitch will be, like, checking in," "Like, "oh, it's okay, trina." "It's all right."" "I'm appreciative of it, you know." "But it makes me really sad" "That here's this little 11-year-old boy" "That's watching out for my well-being." "It hurts, you know?" "I want it to go away, you know?" "And it doesn't go away." " Move it!" "All:" "Yes, sir!" "[indistinct yelling]" " I think the men that we attract to the military" "You know, we've got, "the army of one."" "You know, "be all you can be."" "All those themes that we've had throughout the years," "Um, very, very heavily masculine." "Masculinity cannot be victimized." "Because if you're a leader" "If you're a masculine person and you're victimized," "Then you're weak." "The problem is that anybody" "Can be a victim of sexual assault." " I joined the service in, um, 1972." "The military is a great way of life." "I got to see the world." "Um, I got educated." "I loved the military." "I was 19 and, uh, I went to chow hall alone." "And the next thing I know I was laying on the ground." "I was struck from behind." "And two guys were holding me down," "And one guy was, uh, pulling my pants down." "And, uh, you know," "He was taking care of his business." "And you know, I struggled." "And I was being struck and hit and told" "You know, told to shut up or they'd kill me." "And I see how it destroyed my life." "I mean, I've been married three times." "Just luckily I have a wife right now" "Who I've been married to for 25 years." " You start wondering." "And you start sort of either coming up" "With reasons why things are the way they are." "And for a long time, I kept thinking," ""I don't know, there's-- something--something else."" " I had never told anybody in over 30 years." "I decided to tell my wife." "It was the scariest moment in my life." "I was gonna tell my wife, she was gonna leave me." "And I would be lost without her." "I--I mean, honest to god, I couldn't" "I couldn't get up every morning without my wife." "You know?" "And, uh, I told her." " I felt horrified." "And I felt sad." "And I felt angry." "And, you know, along the course of the evening," "You know, feelings just started to surface" "That were probably just simmering" "For a very, very long time." " And she puts her arms around me" "And we both sat there and sobbed." "It was like-- [crying]" "This great weight had been lifted off of me." " I think it's important to recognize" "That military sexual trauma is not limited to women." "And, in fact, when it comes to the absolute numbers," "Because of the proportion of men" "In much larger numbers than women," "Actually the numbers are even greater." " I think one of the last bits of research" "Show that about 1% of males had been victims" "Of sexual assault within the past year in the military." "That equals to about 20,000." " You would get labeled as a buddy-fucker." "And, um, that's not a nice term to be related to." "So it's one of those things that you just don't" "You don't talk about it, or your don't" "Bring to anybody's attention." "You just kinda keep it to yourself." " It's really, really hard to forget." "You know, up until now I still" "They live in my head, you know?" "I can hear them laugh." "I can see their faces." "I can see what they're doing to me." " [breathes deeply]" "I felt scared." "And I was scared to tell my friends," "The people that really knew me," "The truth about what happened." " The shame, as bad as it is for women," "Is even worse for men because it's all" "Tied in with homophobia." " The people who are doing the raping are not gay." "That's not the problem." "And they're worried about gays in the military." "The gays are not the rapists." "They're heterosexual men for the most part." " This is not an issue of sexual orientation." "This simply an issue of power and violence." "Male sexual predators for the large part" "Have targeted whoever is there to prey upon," "Whether that's men or women." " Whenever I see that, you know," "There is, uh, evidence that another woman" "Has been sexually assaulted," "The question I keep asking myself is," ""when does this ever end?"" " Breaking news at this hour," "The navy appears to be facing a huge sex scandal." "Details are still coming in." " From abc, this is world news tonight" "With peter jennings." " Good evening." "We're going to begin tonight by putting a human face" "On the worst case of sexual harassment" "In the navy's history." "At an annual naval aviator's convention" "Called the tailhook convention." "Senior officers have known since 1985" "That the convention included the so-called gauntlet." "Set up for specific purpose of targeting" "And sexually molesting women." " I got off the elevator on the third floor." "You could see maybe 200 men." "It was just a few steps into the hallway" "Before, uh, they closed ranks around me." "And then it happened very quickly that, um," "From both sides and from behind," "Men came in and started reaching in my shirt." "I was getting pushed down to the floor" "And someone was reaching under my skirt" "Pulling my underwear off." "And, you know, it was about maybe 30 or 40 feet" "Of 200 guys trying to pull my clothes off," "Like I was a high value target." "The next morning, I met with my boss for breakfast." "And I said, you know, "what happened here?"" "And he said, "well, that's what you get" "For walking down a hallway full of drunk aviators."" "And I said like, "I--I don't think so."" " An investigation was finally begun." "But 1,500 interviews later," "The navy's inspector general reported" "That his investigators were being stonewalled." "A great wall of silence had gone up to protect the guilty." " The u.S. Army today is trying to establish" "The extent of a new and growing" "Rape and sexual harassment scandal." "It all took place at the army base" "At aberdeen proving ground" "Where 30 women have filed complaints" "Of sexual advances that range from" "Unwanted touching to rape and forcible sodomy." " Aberdeen proving ground is a location" "Where the non-commissioned officers were" "Assaulting and raping trainees," "And then passing the name of the person" "They had assaulted to another n.C.O." " That is unacceptable conduct for soldiers." "It's unacceptable to the army." "And we have zero tolerance." " 12 years ago, the tailhook sex scandal" "Shook the u.S. Navy," "And now the air force faces what may be" "An even bigger problem." "Rape and other sexual abuse at the air force academy" "In colorado springs." " 142 allegations of assault against women" "Had been made in the last decade." " The highest ranking air force generals" "Knew about serious problems of sexual assault at the academy," "Yet failed to take action." " We don't intend to sweep this under the rug." "Uh, we take it very seriously." "We're gonna address it publicly." " In congress, outraged senators" "Accused air force brass of ignoring assaults on women." " We have a clear pattern" "Of reports of sexual assault" "Where the reaction of the air force academy" "Seems to be to blame the victim." " We are in the process of instituting those" "Those changes now." " You're in the process of instituting those changes now?" "Obviously you and I and the secretary" "Have a fundamental disagreement here." " What needs to be done and should be done" "As it relates to the problem of sexual assault" "Within the military, women in the military that" "Have had, um, a great deal of difficulty" "Accessing some sense of justice?" " I--I--really-- I totally share your concerns." "We have to be-- we have to have zero tolerance" "For any kind of sexual assaults in the military." " At a small post in washington d.C.," "Marine pride, history, and tradition live on." "Marine barracks at 8th and "I" streets" "Is the oldest post in the corps," "And for 100 years, from the early 1800s," "It was marine corps headquarters." " [chanting]" " Marine barracks in washington, d.C." "Is the most prestigious unit there is in the marine corps." "This is the unit where the best of the best go." "It is the marine corps' showcase ceremonial unit." "It handles presidents and dignitaries..." "Security at the white house," "The silent drill team." " After my deployment to operation iraqi freedom" "In 2008, 2009, my commanding officer" "Recommended me for the marine barracks washington." "I was excited." "It the tip of the spear as far as" "The marine corps is concerned." " She would stay at work late." "And then she would drive home" "And she'd call me, and she'd be on" "Some kind of little high." "And she'd talk about how she loved her job." "She was, uh" "This sweet person who was trying really hard" "And succeeding." " One of the first things I was told when I checked in was," ""don't wear any makeup, because the marines" "Will all think that you wanna sleep with them."" "And I thought, "that's just ridiculous."" " The atmosphere off the bat" "At marine barracks washington was horrible." "Um, people asked me what sexual favors" "Had I performed to get my orders there." " There was a senior officer in my command who" "The first time he spoke to me he said," ""female marines here are nothing but" "Objects for the marines to fuck."" " So the minute a female shows up at my work," "She's immediately pounced on." "All of the new females get talked about," "Saying if they're having sex," "Sleeping with so and so." "Apparently I slept with all these men." "And, I mean, I didn't." " It got progressively worse and worse." "They determined that I welcomed" "The sexual harassment by" "Wearing my regulation length uniform skirt" "And running in running shorts." "There were several junior female marines" "That came up to me crying while I was there," "Saying that they felt too humiliated to come to work." " One of the duties at marine barracks washington" "Was a ceremonial drill." "The evening parades are what you would see on the news." "The silent drill platoon, the president," "Everybody goes to those type of things." " [chanting]" " After the parades, all the officers" "Are required to stay till midnight and drink" "In center house at marine barracks washington." "So we're talking about Wednesday night happy hours" "That start 3:00 and end at 2:00 a.M." " It was a partying and drinking culture." "The atmosphere revolved around going out" "And partying and drinking." " I was ordered to drink." "I was ordered to attend the drinking events." " My boss even said, um," "That they were mandatory to me." "She's like, "we do our best work at these events."" " We went to various pubs and bars" "And the goal was to do a shot at each one," "All paid for by the marine corps." " You're talking about drinking events" "Where other senior officers are drinking to the point" "Of peeing in the pants, you know," "Passing out on lawns." "This is the norm." "At one bar I had water, and I was ordered a shot anyways" "And told I needed to take two shots to make up for that." "I left the bar to get a cab." "My company commander followed me" "And said, "I need to talk to you about some things."" "So we walked up the stairs into his office." "There was a little bit of a struggle." "Like, he tried to kind of make an advance," "And tried to kiss me." "I tried to leave and he slammed the door on my arms." "I fell on the ground and hit my face on his desk." "And the next thing I realized was" "I had woken up wearing his shorts" "With all of my clothes off and in tremendous pain." "I knew enough about me that something wasn't right." "And I had felt entirely violated." "The colonel at one point said," ""you know, lieutenant helmer," ""boys, girls, and alcohol just don't mix." ""we'll never really know what happened" ""inside that office." ""only you and the major know, and he's not talking." ""so at this point the investigation is closed" ""for lack of evidence." ""and we've reopened a new investigation against you" ""for conduct unbecoming an officer" "And public intoxication."" " I remember-- we're going to the bar." "It was an officer that's there to buy shots for us." "After I'd a couple drinks," "That's all I remember." "This officer bragged to his fellow officer friends" "That he had "bagged" me." "I got called up to a major's office" "And he charged me with fraternization and adultery." "He was married." "I wasn't." "And I was charged with adultery." " I told the battalion x.O." "About the humiliation and the comments." "And he said, "you know, you should do" ""what a marine officer should do," "And that's to ignore it and move on."" " I used lie awake in bed, you know," "Wondering what I could do to help her get out." " [crying] he said that" "If told anybody," "That he was gonna have his friend marv from indiana" "Kill me and throw me in a ditch." "Because that's how they took care of things in indiana." " She went to war." "And gave nine years of her life." "And for them to take it and come back and say..." ""yes, they called you a whore." ""yes, they called you a slut." ""yes, they called you a walking mattress." ""it's documented over and over and over again." ""but you deserved it." ""and when you complained about it," "You were welcoming it."" " The actions of my seniors," "Both in the assault and in the ensuing investigations" "Have really destroyed me." " When your wife doesn't come home to" "To a" "Rummage through the house searching for the suicide note." "[crying]" "To call the police with one hand" "While you're restraining her from killing herself" "With the other-- [crying]" " I think the thing that makes me the most angry" "Is not even the rape in itself." "It's the commanders that were complicit" "In covering up everything that happened." " This is an organization that gives commanders" "An unbelievable amount of power." "And I felt it as a lieutenant in iraq." "It's--it's scary." "You appoint the prosecution." "You appoint the defense." "You appoint the investigator." "You're in charge of the police force." "You're in charge of the community." "You own everything." " Uh, you are judge." "You are jury." "You are executioner." " Most americans assume that there is access" "To a system of justice." "So that, for example, if you're a civilian" "And you're raped, you can call the police." "And then you have prosecutors." "Either federal prosecutors, state prosecutors," "Local prosecutors, that bring" "The perpetrator to justice." "The problem with the military is that instead," "They have to go to their chain of command." " Now, in our system of military justice," "It is the commander, uh, who's responsible, um," "You know, to the chain of command" "For how that investigation proceeds." " I know that there's been numerous times" "Over my career that I regretted" "Than an individual commander had the" "The total say-so over a case." "Most of 'em don't have the training or the education" "To determine what's appropriate" "In serious felony criminal investigations." "The problem in the military is the convening authority," "Who is not legally trained, makes the final decision." " They had a change of command at my old squadron" "Where the guy that raped me was still stationed." "Um, he had only been in command for four days." "And he made the decision over legal to stop the case." "What I saw was commanders," "And these are field grade officers," "Lieutenant colonels, colonels," "Um, who have been in 20, 25 years, you know." "They're career officers." "And they sweep cases under the rug." " The last thing a company commander in the army" "Wants to do is make the phone call" "To his or her battalion commander to say," ""I have had an allegation of a rape in my unit."" "This is viewed in many cases as a failure to command" "That will adversely then affect their career." " Sometimes you'd see a guy get four, five years" "For selling a minor amount of drugs." "Then you'd see a guy get, you know," "Two weeks extra duty for a rape." " The military hides behind this notion" "That it is really, really hard," "Almost impossible to prosecute rape." "But when you look at prosecution rates" "In the 2010 department of defense reports," "You begin with 2,410 unrestricted reports" "And 748 restricted." "What that means is they've already funneled 748 sexual assault victims into a system" "That absolutely no adjudication whatsoever." "Then you take the 2,410 that have been reported." "Of those, they identified 3,223 perpetrators." "Now, what happens once you send a perpetrator" "Over to command?" "Well, the command has just completely" "Unfettered discretion to do whatever it is they want." "And what is it that they do do?" "First off, they drop 910 of them." "They just don't do anything." "Then of the 1,025 where they actually take some action," "Do they court-martial them?" "No." "Only half of them, 529," "Actually got court-martialed." "The rest, 256, were subjected" "To article 15 punishments." "109 to administrative discharges." "And then 131 to, "other adverse administrative actions,"" "Whatever the heck that means." "And then of the convictions where" "They actually get jail time," "When you work your way all the way through the numbers," "What you're looking at is that" "Out 3,223 perpetrators," "Only 175 end up doing any jail time whatsoever." " I have been in congress for seven terms now." "And every, single term we have had meetings with d.O.D." "And they come in and they confirm to us," ""we are going to be serious." ""we're gonna take care of this." "We're gonna stop this, zero tolerance."" "But the rhetoric is not being turned into" "The reality of protecting our women," "And in some cases men," "In our military." "And they're like, "but we have the sarc and sapro program."" "And it's like, "well, oh, great."" "What does that do?" "They can strongly suggest to the military" "To do something." " As a band of brothers and sisters," "It is our personal duty to prevent sexual assault." " They can't order them." "They can't enforce it." "They don't back it up." "In April of this year, we will debut" "A social marketing campaign" "As part of our prevention strategy." " Preventing sexual assault is part of my duty." " So I saw my buddy's date was drunk," "I told him, "ask her when she's sober."" " It's ludicrous." "It's the year 2011 and, you know, we have posters" "That say, "wait until she's sober."" "I mean, it's remarkable that that's allowed to pass" "In today's military." " We've implemented training at each and every level" "Of military service." "From the moment they enter the service" "And basic training, they're given that." "And our campaign, uh, consists of a series" "Of posters that are actually training tools." "And each of those posters has a different focus." " You cannot prevent sexual assault" "With pretty posters, all right?" "Posters do not prevent sexual predators" "From preying upon women and men in the military." "We're talking about people barging into rooms" "In the middle of the night." "No poster's gonna prevent a criminal" "From barging into your room-- these are violent people." " Well, one of the things that we do" "In our prevention strategy is to focus on" "Bystander intervention." "And in that strategy, and in that training," "We ask for each soldier, sailor, airman, and marine to be" "Aware of what sexual assault is and how to prevent it." " Sarc is a joke." "The things that they say are ignored," "Or they're made fun of." " ♪ turn the other cheek is a thing of the past ♪" "♪ up close and real when they try to harass ♪" "♪ so when they there in the dark ♪" "♪ and the predator persists ♪" "♪ step up in his face" "♪ you can tell him this" "♪ we stand, we stand" "♪ we fight, we fight, intervene ♪" " There might be a video or 20 slides." "Um, it's, like, a lot of military training" "Where it's the once a year check in the box." " ♪ intervene, act, motivate" "♪ you need to intervene, act, motivate ♪" " Sapro can't fix anything." " You walking back alone?" " Yeah, it's such a short walk to my chew." " All right." " And all the money seems to be spent on advertising," "Which is just rife with victim blaming." " What's your name?" " Hey, stop, stop." " Hey, come here." "Come here, let me talk to you for a sec." "I just wanna talk to you." " Oh!" "Are you okay?" " No, there's this guy, he grabbed me." " Why are you by yourself?" "Where's your buddy?" " I didn't think I needed one." " Sexual assault is preventable." "Are you doing your part?" "And so this notion that, you know," "Essentially, like, anyone could be a rapist." "We all have to be on alert." "It misses an opportunity to take real steps" "Towards preventing rape." "If they actually had systems of accountability" "That prosecuted and imprisoned perpetrators," "You would get rid of a lot of the rapes right away." " How would you characterize the typical sex offender?" " Well, if I look at our data from the department of defense," "It's young people that are ages 18 to 24 or 25." " Would you say that most of them are serial rapists?" " Um, I don't have data one way or the other" "To determine that." " And what percentage of the rapes" "Do you think are caused by serial predators?" " Um, I don't-- I don't have any numbers." "I don't know how to-- I don't think" "We collect that type of data." " There's been studies done that people" "Who enter the military are twice as likely" "To have committed rape as the equivalent" "Population in the civilian world." " I'm not aware of that study." "My area of expertise focuses primarily" "On prevention and victim care." " But wouldn't prevention include" "Focusing on the perpetrators?" " 'cause I noticed that dr." "Kaye whitley" "Is not in her chair." "Is it under your direction that she has not, uh," "Shown for testimony this morning?" " Uh, yes, sir." " You directed her not to?" " I did." " Uh, do you have an executive privilege to assert?" " Uh, no sir." " You've instructed her not to come?" "What is your reason for doing that?" " If you find the department's response" "In preventions efforts fall short" "Of your expectations," "Responsibility for that shortfall rests with me." " That's a ridiculous answer." "What is it that you're trying to hide?" "We all remember tailhook and the scandal" "And how the military tried to cover that up." "I don't know who you think elected you" "To defy the congress of the United States." "We're independent branch of government." " So for now, mr." "Dominguez, you are dismissed." " Intimacy is definitely affected." "He'll go for months without sex." "I have to initiate." "If I'm comfortable enough" "If I'm having a good day and I think" "My husband looks hot for the day-  [laughs]" " I have to initiate." "When he comes up and hugs me, sometimes I'll cringe." "And I'll just want him to" "You know, like, he'll feel it." "And then he gets mad 'cause he didn't" "Like, "why aren't you hugging me back?"" "Or whatever." " I still do that." "Uh, there were times where I" " And, like, him grabbing my hips and, like" " I didn't understand, you know, why." "'cause it's like, "I'm your husband, why?"" "And I don't-- I don't fully understand now." " I see it in my dreams." "That's what you don't get." "I don't wanna talk about this stuff." "And you know that I don't like, uh" " Yeah, well, that's the hard part." "I don't know-- I wanna help you." "But I don't know, you know?" " But" " I want to." " You can't-- you can't help me." "Like, that's the thing, is you can't." "Sometimes I think if when he has sex with me" "Is thinking about, you know, me getting raped." "Is he upset?" "Is he--you know?" "'cause I think-- I think about that." "It'll run--never does it not run through my head." "That's why I didn't wanna have sex for awhile." " What if you were in my spot?" " It would suck so bad." " Wouldn't you wanna--?" " I'm not saying I don't appreciate you." "You're gonna make me cry, baby." "This is why I don't express it to you, rob." "'cause it does upset me." "[crying]" "Like, we almost split up 'cause of this stuff." "And I feel like I'm responsible for it." "I don't know what I'd do if I lost rob." "[sobbing] I don't." "I'd be so lost." "He's, like, my only supporter." "Like my own blood." "I have interviewed women in the civilian world." "And rape is a very, very traumatizing" "Things to have happen." "Um, but I've never seen trauma like I've seen" "From women who are veterans" "Who have suffered military sexual trauma." " I cannot remember how many times" "A young female marine that had been raped" "Or sexually assaulted had told me that" "She looked at these guys as her brother," "Or the suspect as her brother." " It's akin to what happens in a family with incest." "Because, you know, in the military," "When we're functioning at our best" "In a cohesive unit, uh," "With brothers and sisters." "You know, the band of brothers and sisters." "I mean, we are family." "When that bond of trust is violated-- [sighs]" "The wound penetrates to the very most" "Inner part of one's soul, one's psyche." " I have this folder that I keep." "I have all my boot camp letters in it" "From my mom and my sister and, um, people and..." "I was just going through some of this stuff" "And I'm like, "what's this?" you know?" "And I open it up and I'm like, "oh, my god." "My suicide letter."" ""mom, I'm sorry for the grief that you must feel." ""just because I'm gone physically" ""doesn't mean I won't be there spiritually." ""I truly feel like god will take me without question," ""even though I took my own life." ""I've had the most broken thoughts, dreams," ""and physical pain to remind me" ""of the horrific acts upon me" ""that happened while on duty." ""a mother, brother, sister, and husband" ""should never live with knowing" ""the horrible acts upon me." ""find peace in knowing that the body left behind" ""doesn't consume my soul." ""I am free now and I'm not afraid." "[crying]" "Ready to soar, kori danielle."" " I took a whole bottle of pills" "And woke up, strangely enough." "I'm not sure why." "[chuckles]" "At that point in my life, I just wanted it to be over." "And I think was 20, 21." "And then, um, within the next year" "I tried again." " I went out into the garage," "Which is separate from the house," "And I turned the car on." "I was gonna sit in the car and asphyxiate myself." "And we have this little poodle blondie." "She out her little doggy door" "And she's scratching and howling at the door," "And I said, "shut up." "God damn it, you're gonna wake my wife up."" "So I get out and shut the car off." "And I thought for a minute, "I'll just take her" "In the garage with me."" "And then I says, "why would you kill the dog?" "That's stupid."" "And then it dawned on me," ""well, why would you kill yourself?"" " I thought of it so many times" "And in so many ways." "I thought about, at one point in time," "Hanging myself from the flagpole" "With a sign on me and explain" "Saying exactly what happened, to make him feel bad." " I was gonna, uh, overdose on pain medication" "And sleeping medication." "And I just hoped that I'd fall asleep" "And my body would just shut down" "Or do something." "Um" "When I went to the doctor, I had been feeling sick" "And dizzy and nauseated." "And, um, they took my urine" "And they told me that I was pregnant." "I was like, "you know, there's a life in there."" "You know?" ""and maybe her life will be better than mine." "And I gotta make sure of that."" "[crying] so" "She's very special." " Sometimes it takes a different kind of action" "To cause change to come." "And sometimes that's a lawsuit." " I grew up on military bases." "My dad was career army." "When I was a child, when we answered the phone," "We used to have to say, "colonel burke's quarters."" "And because of that, I have an understanding" "Of the level of control that the military exercises" "That perhaps most in civilian life don't have." "The feres doctrine is a judicial doctrine" "That was developed by the supreme court" "That says, "if you're in the military," ""you cannot sue for something that happens to you" "That's incident to your military service."" "If military doctors amputate the wrong limb," "You are out of luck." "You cannot sue for that" "For that harm that's been done to you." "So we filed a lawsuit in federal court" "On behalf of 16 men and women" "Seeking to bring, uh, former secretary rumsfeld" "And secretary gates to justice." " I heard about the lawsuit" "And decided to become a part of it" "Because I never wanted another woman" "To go through what I went through." "I'm-- oh, I've been so sick." "Like, just sick to my stomach." "And I think right now I'm just kind of like," ""just get there."" "I'm, like, numbing myself just to get there." "And then I know when I get there, it should" "I don't know." "I don't know." " The lawsuit alleges that they have overseen a system" "That has deprived the rape survivors" "Of their constitutional rights." "Specifically, we allege that they deprive them" "Of their substantive due process," "Procedural due process," "Equal protection, and first amendment rights." " It made me sick to see everybody's stories," "And how they kinda closely tie together." "Everybody's story somehow has a" "It's consistent, like, what the military does" "To people like us." " All the things that they've put in place" "Are all pretty much intended" "To help women deal with being raped better." "That's what they're about." "I joined the military halfway through" "My senior year of high school," "Wanting to serve my country, and do new things," "And challenge myself in a different way." "I was in the army about seven or eight years" "Before anything ever happened to me." "I was raped by another c.I.D. Agent" "Who was senior to me." "I was contacted by an agent with fort riley c.I.D." "Who said they were investigating the suspect" "As a serial rapist who had raped" "Several military law enforcement women." "I thought there was no way that, you know," "He wouldn't be convicted." "If I have a difficult time with anything," "It's about the fact that I had an almost ten-year career," "Which I was very invested in," "And I gave that up to report a sex offender" "Who was not even, uh, put to justice," "Or put on the registry." "And he's probably doing the same thing right now." " I had one female lieutenant pull me aside, um," "And tell me that, you know," "She had heard about my case and she thought" "She could talk to me as one female marine to another." "And she told me, "well, what he did" ""was capitalize on an opportunity" ""that you presented him." ""that's not the same thing as rape," "And you need to know that."" "I think a month after it happened," "They made me go on a hike with him." "And I tried having everybody advocate for me" "To not make me go, because" "I just couldn't deal with seeing him." "So their solution to that was just to put him" "Right in front of me so I could him the whole time." "So that way I could know where he was" "And know that he wasn't able to do anything, 'cause he was right in front of me." "And I remember thinking the entire time" "We were up on the hills, up in camp hills," "And, like, if only it steeper I woulda jumped." " There's no way out of it." "I mean, if you think about it," "The only way out of it is, like, suicide or awol." " It's true." " So those are your only two options," "Suicide, awol, or deal with it." " Right now I'm just barely appreciating" "Learning how to appreciate being a woman again." "That's 11 years." "And I'm trying to have fun with it," "Not forcing myself to have fun." "My" "I'm trying really hard not to--to cry," "But it just pisses me off." "You know, and watching you girls" "Having to go through what I" "It makes me want to explode." " Being here and, like, knowing that" "Me wanting to commit suicide, I'm not alone." "Me being hit and raped, I'm not alone," "Everything." "The way that they treated me," "The way that they made me feel," "I'm not alone." "And we have all you guys, with all your knowledge" "And everything." "You guys are gonna stand right up, you know?" "It's awesome." "That's awesome, that's what I'm saying." " I think the women who are coming forward" "In this lawsuit are very courageous," "Because they're putting their names out there" "For criticism." "They're putting their names out there" "To go down in history as they were the ones who" "Who got raped." "And that isn't anything you wanna go through life with." "[indistinct chatter]" " Today I stand in solidarity with the courageous" "Women and men who have served in our nation's armed forces." "The inspirational plaintiffs you see before you" "Are a small handful of the tens of thousands" "Of troops and veterans who have been" "Sexually brutalized by their fellow service members" "While defending our nation." "It is time to finally acknowledge" "That the military judicial system" "Is broken when it comes to these cases." " My name is kori cioca and in my case," "My command was unwilling to help me." "I went for help several times with other petty officers" "And I-- I was denied help." "Even with other men saying, "please, get her away from him."" "And it was-- it was still allowed." " My name is sarah albertson." "People were telling me, "don't go to the public." ""don't let this get out, because it will" "Make the military look bad."" " I really feel like my social responsibility" "To speak out about this issue," "Especially considering my investigative experience," "And the fact, uh, that the military justice system" "Allows so many offenders to escape justice." "[applause] [indistinct chatter]" " She's actually starting to play with her toys," "You know, together, you know?" " Yeah." "Imaginative playing and stuff." " And that's so neat to see." "But it's all the stuff that you teach them," "If you notice, like, when they play, you know?" " Yeah." " It's really cool." " Yeah." "I miss my baby." " I do too." " Thank you for having us." " Sure." "Thanks for being willing" "To fill me in a little bit on some of the experiences." " My name is regina vasquez and I served" "Honorably in the United States marine corps" "For four years." " My name is kori cioca and I served" "In the United States coast guard." "I was harassed and sexually assaulted." " I was administratively discharged with no benefits" "After nine and a half years of service." " Women should not bear that burden." "That is not part of what we should" "Have to be doing to do our jobs." " We're talking about criminal activity." "We're talking about a vicious attack" "That is criminal." "It is an assault." " Almost none of the cases made it to court-martial." " 8% - and out of the ones that do," "Almost none of them result in convictions." " It seems to me, in all the times" "That I've looked at these things," "The command is the one who has so much discretion." " I think our advocates should actually be civilians," "Not ones that work for-- in the military." "I think we should have actual units, civilian units." " It absolutely tears in my inside" "To think that this has been going on" "For as long as it's been going on." "And we've never addressed it." " All people in the military must know," "If you are a perpetrator of sexual assault" "Against someone else in the military," "Woe be to you." "You're gonna be held accountable." " As a c.I.D. Agent, I found it" "Tremendously frustrating when I would demonstrate" "Than an offender had committed an offense" "And taking it to a commander and having a commander" "Be the deciding authority" "You know, I don't think commanders are capable" "Of making, um, an objective decision." "I do not think it should be in their hands." " So you would suggest taking the discretion away from" " Yes, absolutely." " Congresswoman davis and I are both" "On the armed services committee." " There are a number of issues that you've raised" "That makes, you know, me wanna go back" "And particularly take another look." " On an emotional and individual basis," "What happens after a crime like that has been committed" "Is a very difficult thing to go through." "And don't think I don't know." "I know." " The fact that you're willing to tell me" "Your stories firsthand makes it much easier for us" "To go back and to say, "you know, these are policies" "That we have to change."" "It's a big--it's a big, big deal what you're doing." " You rarely find people like you" "Who will stand up for us." "And just thank you so much" "For everything that you do." " Very nice to meet you all." " Nice to meet you, ma'am." " Thank you again" "For your service." " Thank you." " Thanks for your time." " Thanks." " Mr. Speaker, last year the military received" "Over 3,000 reports of sexual assault" "Involving other members in the service." "This week, 17 veterans are saying" "That the military ignored their cases of sexual assault" "While they were on active duty." " Today I'm going to talk about" "Seaman kori cioca, who served" "In the coast guard from August 2005 to June 2007." "She now suffers from p.T.S.D." "And an abnormal e.E.G." "Due to nerve damage in her face." "Cioca later told the press, "it's like the didn't care." ""it wasn't important." "I wasn't important."" " So we're eating at bob evans," "And we overhear a girl talking about" "Getting ready to go into the military," "So I go over there and try to talk to her." "Has anybody told you what to watch for or anything?" " My boyfriend's in the navy." " And so he knows how tough it is for women?" " Yeah, yeah, he's been in for a couple months now." " So how does he feel about you joining?" "Like, isn't he scared that the men'll do something?" " He's a little scared, but he knows" "I can take care of myself, so he's" " Oh, I thought so too, so be careful." "I definitely let her know that maybe" "She should reconsider college and getting a degree." "And it'll save her some of that trouble." "I wish someone would've told me that." "You try to take care, okay?" " Thank you." " You can still back out, huh?" "You can be a civilian worker, you know that." " I'm not-- I'm not signed yet, but" " Okay, well, just-- be careful." " Thank you." " People always ask me, "was it worth it going in?"" "The idea of it is honorable." "Um, serving your country is great." "There are great people in it." "And then there are the people who will end up" "Ruining your life." " Just the other day, I saw a girl" "Running along the road that looked like" "She was about high school age." "She was wearing a u.S.M.C. T-shirt." "And I thought that-- [crying]" "If she joins then she's gonna have to accept" "Rape and destruction of her life." "I cannot-- in good faith," "I could not recommend anybody to join" "With the way the organization is set up now." "I would not wish that on anyone." " You can't ask women to serve and then say," ""oh, by the way, if you get in" ""one of these horrendous situations," "We won't be there to back you up or to help you."" " When I would do nominations for the air force academy," "You know, it was difficult to talk to parents and say," ""uh, don't worry, if you send her here," "She's not gonna get raped."" " No." "I would tell my daughter" "Not to join the military." "Um, they have good things to offer," "But a rape is not one of 'em." " Uh, not in my lifetime." "[scoffs] she's not joining, no." " I would terrified if my daughter" "Wanted to join the military." "I would have a serious, long talk with her" "And hopefully she'd-- the one thing," "That's what she'd listen to." " Losing even one soldier needlessly" "Because of military sexual trauma" "Is one too many." "[dog barking]" " I'm going to get the mail." " Okay." " Fingers crossed." "Here's my fate." "Oh." " [nervous laughter]" "What does it say?" " Um..." ""effective October 20th, 2009."" "My overall combined rating is 70%." "Wait." ""service connection for anxiety is denied." ""service connection for disc placement" "And bilateral disc displacement is denied."" "Those motherfuckers, man." "Oh, my god." " Daddy!" " I'll be right there, shea." " My face doesn't have any discs in it." "That's what the x-rays show." "That's what dr." "Carcoa's letters show." " How can you deny medical for" "I mean, when there's x-rays?" " [indistinct]" " What?" " [indistinct]" "Mommy, [indistinct]?" " Uh-huh, we will." " "if you do not agree with our decision," "You should write us and tell us why."" " 'cause you're an asshole." " "and you should identify specific issues."" " You're an idiot." " "the evidence was reviewed showed that you served--"" "Whatever, "which is less than minimum active duty" "Requirements for disability pension."" "But you--it wasn't your choice." " They're gonna punish me for what they did." "'cause I was short two months of two years." " [indistinct]" " I know." "I feel the same way, shea." " It's nice to see you again and thank you for coming." "You have been provided highlights" "Of the numbers of the report." "And I'll walk you through those slides," "And then I'm going to play a short" "Public service announcement," "And then we can entertain questions." "I think the prevention aspect" "Of sexual assault goes back in some ways" "To risk reduction." " What is risk reduction?" " Risk reductions are ideas like telling women to," "If they're going to go somewhere together," "Always have a buddy with them." " Are there other examples of risk reduction?" " Um--I didn't-- I'm not familiar." "But that's out of my area of expertise." " Well, I wanna continue where dr." "Whitley left off." "You know, looking at what our focus is," "And that's on prevention as well as--as response." "We've really done a very good job there." "And the credit goes to dr." "Whitley and her staff" "That has been working this for the last five to six years." " I don't think the department of defense" "Has really yet embraced that they have" "A sexual assault problem." "That it's not just an issue of the culture environment," "Or that the people at risk for sexual assault," "That their system itself, though, just does not value" "The rights of victims," "And doesn't provide them adequate protection." " You know, I have heard the accusations as well that" "You know, commanders are sweeping this under the carpet." "Now, what I would say to the people that have" "Come forward to you is," "If you feel your commander is ignoring" "What you have asked them to do" "If they're not taking care of you" "Within that chain of command," "You need to go to the d.O.D.," "The department of defense inspector general." " G.A.O., general accounting office," "Just did a study, a report, and guess what." "Not one--not one case of more than 2,500" "Has been reviewed and investigated" "By the inspector general." "And when asked about that," "The inspector general said," ""well, we have other higher priorities."" " What you really want is you want" "There to be a system akin to a civilian system" "Where you go to the police and you--your" "The crime is prosecuted by an impartial judicial system." " As a commander, you have no favorites." "You are equally to take care of every single person" "In your organization." "That's what command is all about." " These are human beings, just like everybody else." "You cannot be impartial when you are already" "Involved with people in other settings." " I would take exception with your characterization" "That the disposition of the case" "Is based on the relationship between" "Commander, uh, and the alleged perpetrator." " I'm gonna speak to you with my former commander's hat on." "There is absolutely no conflict of interest." "You do what the right thing is to do." "You have other avenues." "And those, if you feel like you have not been taken care of" "Adequately by your commander," "Go up through your congressman or your congresswoman." "File a complaint that way." " You cannot-- you can't go" "To your congressman to be-- to obtain justice" "For being raped." "I mean, imagine how silly that is." "Imagine if you told civilians that." ""oh, jeez, sorry you were raped." "Go talk to your congressman."" " If you could say something to this guy," "What would you wanna say to him?" " I don't know." "[crying]" "I don't think it's affected his life at all." "And people in my old squadron that I would talk to," "Um, they--they don't see any affect" "That it's had on him." "And that hurts." "[crying]" "Because it's a struggle every day." "And it's completely changed who I am." "[crying]" " I'm really hoping that he falls off" "A coast guard boat and they never find him." "I'm really hoping for that." " Yeah." " Like, they find-- there's a poor mishap" "Where he got chopped up by the prop." " It would be great." " That would be great." " That would be an exciting day." " It would." "I'd probably celebrate." " Right?" " Yeah." " I hope this reaches them too, you know?" "I hope that somewhere, someone sees my face," "You know, wherever it is," "And goes, "I know them." "And they're talking about me."" "Because they know what they did, you know." "And then, all they'll have to mutter is," "To some friend that goes," ""hey, weren't we stationed with her?"" "You know, and then they can't be a secret anymore." "So hopefully they have to deal with it too." "You know, some way, shape, or form." " Most rapists are repetitive criminals." "They're--it's a kind of crime" "That has an obsessive quality," "So people do it again and again." "So the tragedy of that is that every one of these guys" "Who gets off free will be doing it to other women" "Again and again, often for years and years and years." " The average sex offender in their lifetime" "Has about 300 victims." "And the vast majority" "Of sex offenders will never be caught." " A lot of civilians see it as being a military problem." "But it really isn't, because 5% or less" "Of reported offenders are convicted." "So almost none of them wind up" "On the sex offender registry." " There is no military sex offender list that I'm aware of," "But if you're convicted in court," "A felony conviction of sex offense" "Of a sex offense, you're gonna go on the national list." " For any sex offense whatsoever?" " Correct." " That is not the case." "It depends on what level of conviction they got." "If they received over a year," "Then that's considered a felony." "But a lot of these cases are plead down" "So that they're not felonies." "The military doesn't like to prosecute people" "And keep them as felony convictions." " I often ask myself the question," ""why wouldn't-- why would they stop?"" "And if there's nothing to stop 'em," "Like incarceration or some other major life change," "They're gonna continue." " If you run a sexual predator through the judicial system," "And then you give 'em a slap on the hand," "All you've done-- is you've done the equivalent" "Of the catch and release program." "You've caught him, you've educated him," "And now you released him back into hometown america." "He now knows a lot more about the law enforcement" "And judicial system than he did when he first started," "Which makes him a much more capable criminal" "And a much more dangerous criminal." " They go on to literally prey" "On women and men in our neighborhoods" "Across the United States." "I mean, if we don't care about women or men" "In the military, then we hopefully" "We should care about women and men, you know," "Girls and boys in our neighborhoods back home." "[shutter clicking]" " There you go." " The thing that broke my heart" "More than anything about this story" "Was the young women who went in with such idealism." ""I want to serve my country." "I want to give back."" "To see a young person's hope and idealism" "Crushed in that brutal way" "I think we owe our young people more than that." " Increasingly, women are becoming" "Some of the best trained professionals" "That we have in the military." "These are great soldiers." "And we can't afford to lose them." " Yeah, I'm happy to never have to wear that again." " People deeply believe in their hearts" "To serve their country." "They should be given that chance, with respect." "You know, it's part of, really, our american way." " Do you think that we deserve purple hearts" "Because we were wounded in time of war?" " They're never gonna give us one." " You know, but I'm saying maybe there should be" "A ribbon for women who" " Who served her country." " Who have survived it," "You know?" " Survived it." " We have a good army, a good military," "But not a great one." "And this is the kind of issue that--that keeps" "Our military from being great." " We can view this as a shared challenge." "It's not just a woman's issue." "It's not just something that the military has to deal with." "But as a society, we're all in this together." "[shutter clicks]" "It's our national duty." "[mary j." "Blige's need someone ]" "♪" " ♪ from where you stand" "♪ there's no way to change it ♪" "♪ no way to make it make sense ♪" "♪ and it's lonely there" "♪ there in the spotlight" "♪ but, honey, don't I understand ♪" "♪ you" "♪ you need someone to love you" "♪ you need someone to hold you" "♪ tonight" "♪ someone to love you" "♪ someone to love you" "♪ someone to love you" "♪ when you look at me" "♪ try hard to hide it" "♪ try hard to keep it all in" "♪ well I found you out" "♪ discovered your secrets" "♪ well honey it ain't a sin" "♪ that you" "♪ you need someone to love you" "♪ you need someone to tell you" "♪ that everything is all right" "♪ someone to love you" "♪ someone to love you" "♪ someone to love you"