Next Congress must act to reduce military sexual assault

Sexual assault has been a front page presidential topic gripping headlines for the last several weeks. 

A recently leaked audiotape from several years ago featuring the voice of the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, making crude comments about women has sparked nationwide discussion on the topic. Following the release of that audiotape, broader political discussion about the infamous allegations against former President Bill Clinton have also re-surfaced, stemming from his alleged actions against women during his time in public office and to what extent Democrats should keep focusing on these recent reports. The topic of sexual assault has become a central topic in the race for the White House.

{mosads}However, the problem of military sexual assault will prove to be more than a political problem for the candidate who wins the presidency. Over the last few years, many national headlines and investigative reports have revealed the military’s inability to combat sexual assault in the ranks and hold steady a military justice system which holds assailants accountable. The Pentagon’s own surveys have found more than half of women who reported being sexually assaulted experienced retaliation. Further, The Department of Defense’s (DoD) Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) 2015 report showed 75% of the men and women in uniform who have been sexually assaulted lack the confidence needed in the military justice system to come forward and report crimes of this nature.

We have a problem, and Congress must act. 

Despite small incremental legislative reforms which have changed the manner in which sexual assault cases are handled in recent years, the boldest of proposed reforms yet, The Military Justice Improvement Act (MJIA) has not passed out of the Congress. Despite the strong support the MJIA enjoys by a large cohort of both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, the bill has failed more than once by a thin vote margin. 

This proposed law championed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) would remove the decision of whether or not to prosecute a sexual assault case out of the hands of the military chain of command, and into the hands of a civilian prosecutor. 

Despite resistance by many senior commanders at the Pentagon (who feel the reform would undermine faith in a commander’s’ ability to maintain discipline within their own units), it has become increasingly clear, that the status quo is not solving this difficult issue for the national policy makers charged with fixing it.

Despite the unfinished business of Congress and the Pentagon to reach a sound reform proposal on this issue–that satisfies all parties– the MJIA is likely to continue to be a topic of key importance to reform advocates. Bolder reforms need to be implemented in order to achieve performance metrics that prove sexual assaults are becoming closer to rarer and thus less prevalent occurrences– and some efforts do appear to be working.

DoD has invested in some unique approaches which show quantitative and anecdotal evidence that results are being achieved– and they are worth acknowledging –as this debate spills over into the new Congress. DoD is implementing programs which are currently being provided at very beginning of the military life-cycle– basic training recruiting units– in which contracted professional trainers engage our recruits on tough topics such as military sexual assault in an effort to promote integrity and awareness from the outset of their military careers.

While similar programs existed when I completed U.S. Army basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in 2002, they have become more engaging and sophisticated than previous iterations, and these investments appear to be working. These programs have evolved from the stale “death by powerpoint” presentations experienced as recently as 2002, to engaging and dynamic sessions that have summoned participation from our troops– and the reactions have been positive from those who attended the training.

Chicago-Based Catharsis Productions (CP) is a provider, and poignant example of, the evolved prevention-focused sexual assault prevention training DoD is utilizing which is reaching our troops early in their training life-cycle. CP takes an approach that is rooted in psychology, education, and cognition, and led by professional presenters who have a drive and passion for evaporating this nation-wide problem. Through engagement, honesty, and a nonjudgmental environment (that even mixes humor and common social topics) CP’s professional staff are challenging the pillars of the status quo that led to the problematic culture that first necessitated broad debate in Congress about how to eliminate sexual assault within the military. 

As congressional staff and policymakers on Capitol Hill often say “metrics matter”, and according to the Navy’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office; Catharsis Production’s program has, for example, contributed to a 73% reduction in anonymous reports of sexual assault at Great Lakes Naval Base north of Chicago. 

Something is working as these evolved approaches to old problems are connected with the military audience it is tailored to impact; policy makers should be practical and double down on utilizing these modern programs more broadly at DoD and across the federal government. As this Congress comes to a close and a new president comes to office next January the issue of sexual assault will continue to challenge policy makers. 

I urge the Congress to reach bipartisan consensus on the issue of how to prosecute these cases that can gain the acceptance of senior DoD leaders. In the meantime, (as reaching consensus on the Hill could take another entire congressional session) to maintain and consider greatly expanding current contracted sexual assault programs –which have already proven through data metrics –to have had made a difference in making our military stronger.

Neiweem is an Iraq War veteran, defense and military policy analyst, and executive director of the Neiweem Group, a government affairs firm. He has served as an expert witness in Congress before both House and Senate Committees and regularly appears on radio and television, covering issues that impact the military and veterans population.

The views expressed by Contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.