Press Releases

Man was responsible for handling sexual assault cases at Fort Hood, Texas

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree issued the following statement about reports that an Army sergeant responsible for handling sexual assault cases at Fort Hood, Texas, is underinvestigation.

Pingree said the male sergeant allegedly encouraged a female soldier to engage in prostitution and engaged in abusive and inappropriate sexual contact. Pingree also said a second female solder refused to engage in prostitution and was allegedly assaulted. That soldier reported the activity to her commanding officer, who opened an investigation.

If these allegations are true, it's hard to find the words to describe how outrageous, disgraceful and offensive this kind of behavior is. When the very people who are supposed to be protecting military personnel from sexual assault are actually committing these crimes, you begin to get an idea of how deep and pervasive this problem is in the military. Given the stories I have heard from military personnel across the nation, I would not have believed that the failings of the military to prevent and respond to sexual assault could get any worse. But if this sergeant actually was forcing subordinates to engage in prostitution it only makes this particular case more shameful, if that's even possible.

Certainly the sergeant involved in this should be held accountable, if these allegations are true. But the chain of command also bears responsibility and should answer for the sergeant's behavior.

Stories like this make it easier to understand why victims of sexual assault in the military are extremely reluctant to trust anyone in positions of authority and are oftenunwilling to report these crimes.

Pingree is the sponsor of the Ruth Moore Act, which makes iteasier for veterans who are the survivors of sexual assault to get the benefits they are owed. Because so many sexual assault cases in the military go unreported, many veterans are denied benefits because of the difficulty in documenting those attacks. Pingree's bill seeks to ease the standard of proof that veterans have to meet.