VOA
Posted Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 at 2:30 pm
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has introduced a tough new program to reduce sexual assault in the military, saying “one sexual assault is one too many.”
Wednesday at the Pentagon Panetta said the new program will include measures that let service members who file sexual abuse charges to quickly transfer to a new unit or base to avoid harassment or contact with the accused attacker. In addition, written files on sexual abuse cases will be retained for 50 years so that service members can seek help decades after the incident from the Veterans Administration.
Panetta's new plan includes new training efforts for those who help victims of abuse and for criminal investigators and military judges. The spouse and adult dependents of service members who are assaulted now will also receive help from military authorities.
And he said military commanders will receive more training on preventing sexual assualt.
The defense secretary said last year, nearly 3,200 cases of sexual assualt were filed by service members. But he said the number is vastly under-reported and that military officials estimate as many as 19,000 cases happen each year.
Wednesday at the Pentagon Panetta said the new program will include measures that let service members who file sexual abuse charges to quickly transfer to a new unit or base to avoid harassment or contact with the accused attacker. In addition, written files on sexual abuse cases will be retained for 50 years so that service members can seek help decades after the incident from the Veterans Administration.
Panetta's new plan includes new training efforts for those who help victims of abuse and for criminal investigators and military judges. The spouse and adult dependents of service members who are assaulted now will also receive help from military authorities.
And he said military commanders will receive more training on preventing sexual assualt.
The defense secretary said last year, nearly 3,200 cases of sexual assualt were filed by service members. But he said the number is vastly under-reported and that military officials estimate as many as 19,000 cases happen each year.
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