Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Coordinator at Ft. Hood latest to be accused of assault
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after new allegations of sexual assault in the military. It was reported that a Sergeant First Class, who was a Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program coordinator at Fort Hood, was accused of criminal behavior including abusive sexual contact and assault. Loebsack is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the bipartisan Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus. He has worked to address the problem of sexual assault in the military.
"The latest allegation of sexual assault by one of the very people who is charged with helping to prevent these heinous crimes is nothing short of outrageous. As a military parent, I am disgusted by these crimes. No person who serves our country in uniform should face a threat from within their own ranks. I am deeply concerned that the Pentagon has just begun to scratch the surface of how pervasive this problem truly is. The Secretary of Defense and our military and civilian leaders must take swift and decisive action to assure these horrible crimes are reported and prosecuted, that victims receive necessary support, and that it is made crystal clear that the chain of command will not tolerate these crimes. The issue of sexual assault has been pushed to the side for too long. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I will work to further combat sexual assault through this year`s National Defense Authorization Act."
Loebsack authored a provision in the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act which required a review of the services and treatment available for victims of sexual assault and abuse throughout the military, including the National Guard. He also worked to include provisions signed into law as part of the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act which required the establishment of special victim units to provide victim support, investigatory capabilities, and prosecutorial expertise as well as an independent review of how sexual assaults are prosecuted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Loebsack is also a cosponsor of the Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention (STOP) Act, which creates an autonomous Sexual Assault Oversight and Response Office within the military to prosecute, report, and investigate sexual assault as well as to provide victim care and oversight.
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