I’ve spent decades advocating for sexual assault survivors. As Jackson County Prosecutor, I fought to ensure that survivors of sexual assault received justice in the aftermath of traumatic crimes.
Anyone watching the recent national outcry over sexual assault in the military, and the disgraceful obstacles faced by survivors, realizes that while we’ve worked to improve the care and treatment available in the military to survivors of sexual assault and have raised the profile of this issue to the highest levels within the Pentagon, a tremendous amount of work remains.
That’s why I’ve met with the military’s top officials to discuss reforms that can be made to better protect our troops and deliver justice to perpetrators. Based on these discussions, and informed by my experience prosecuting sexual predators in the civilian justice system, I introduced legislation to bring important reforms to the military justice system. I’m proud that these reforms have been endorsed by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
There is at least one bright spot amid all of the media attention being given to the problem of sexual assault in the military, and it happens to originate from Missouri. Fort Leonard Wood is home to the Army’s Military Police School, where a pioneering instructor has developed the Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI) technique, which has received national recognition and provides an entirely new model for the sexual assault investigation process. Using recent advances in neuroscience and psychology, it enables sexual assault survivors to more accurately report crimes, thereby helping investigators bring more perpetrators to justice. By the end of the year, more than 1,000 special agents and prosecutors from each branch of the military will have completed FETI training. These trainees will bring this investigative technique to military facilities all over the world—a development that will pay dividends for years to come.
The advances at Fort Leonard Wood won’t bring a stop to every sexual assault in the military, but they will contribute to higher rates of prosecution and punishment—which will get these cowards out of the ranks of our military.
The other part of the equation occurs after sexual assailants are successfully prosecuted. Currently, military commanders have the power to overturn a jury verdict in sexual assault cases, among others, without any explanation. My legislation directly addresses this issue and will ensure that a jury’s verdict is respected.
In the months ahead, I’ll continue working with all branches of the military and with my Senate colleagues to fight for changes that will ensure that those who continue to serve in the best military in the world can do so protected from the scourge of sexual assault and with the knowledge that when a heinous attack does occur, they will get justice. And it’s good to know that among my strongest allies for commonsense reform and the aggressive pursuit of accountability are those servicemembers right in the heart of our home state at Fort Leonard Wood.
U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is a senior member of the Armed Services Committee and formerly served as Jackson County Prosecutor
