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Behold the great image of authority

The bishops of the military will retain their grip on the prosecution or non-prosecution of sexual assault cases.

An ambitious bill seeking to stem the rise of sexual assaults in the military died Thursday after senators from both parties refused to limit the role of commanding officers in deciding whether to prosecute such cases.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) pushed the issue to prominence during this congressional session, arguing on behalf of victims who testified that they feared retaliation for pressing assault allegations up the military chain of command. Her bill — which won support from 17 of the 20 women in the Senate — would have shifted sexual assault investigations to military prosecutors.

Instead senators advanced a competing bill sponsored by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who agreed with military brass that removing commanders from investigations would undermine their authority with troops.

And failing to prosecute sexual assault won’t undermine their authority with troops? Which troops are we talking about? Are we assuming that most of the troops are sexual assaulters or fans of sexual assault? Are we assuming that a permissive attitude toward sexual assault is a majority view in the military? If so…might that undermine the authority of the military overall? Might it encourage endemic sexual assault in the military?

The scope of the problem was underscored late Thursday when the Army confirmed it was investigating its top sexual assault prosecutor, Lt. Col. Joseph Morse, on allegations of making unwanted sexual advances two years ago to a lawyer who worked for him.

“We can confirm that this matter is currently under investigation and that the individual in question has been suspended from duties, pending the outcome of the investigation,” an Army spokesperson said.

Also Thursday, Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sinclair, one of the highest-ranking officers ever to face a court-martial, pleaded guilty at the start of his trial to several charges, including having an illicit affair with a female captain, impeding an investigation and pressuring other female officers to send him nude photos.

See what I mean?

 

A blot » « Single-digit heaven

Comments

  3. says

    The scope of the problem was underscored late Thursday when the Army confirmed it was investigating its top sexual assault prosecutor, Lt. Col. Joseph Morse, on allegations of making unwanted sexual advances two years ago to a lawyer who worked for him.

    “Underscored” is hardly the word for it. “Turned into a farce” works better.

    I notice that Morse’s defense is, in a nutshell, “Bitches be lyin'” anyone want to make a bet whether it will work?

  4. karmacat says

    I work at a VA and there is a special program just for military sexual assaults. It is ridiculous that there are so many victims who need this This should embarrass the military but clearly isn’t. Any time a soldier is assaulted is a failure for that leader. There are probably more male victims in addition to female victims than we know about. It is doubly hard for a man to admit to being a victim.

  6. iknklast says

    which won support from 17 of the 20 women in the Senate

    What the hell is wrong with those other three women? Too Republican? Too much of military hawks? Don’t want to appear “weak” in a man’s world? Damn.

  7. rnilsson says

    Trigger warning!
    Not a unique story, alas:

    The biggest police scandal in Sweden’s history (Aftonbladet 23 Jan 2014)

    Göran Lindberg was during his carreer Dean of the Police Academy 1989-1997. After that he was promoted to county chief of police in Uppsala, until 2006.
    Among police colleagues he was known as ”Kapten klänning” (Captain Dress) for his engagement with gender equality issues.
    However, when a pimp dies in July 2009 the police find Göran Lindberg’s name and phone number in the pimp’s cell phone.
    In December 2009 Göran Lindberg retires at his own request. The same month, the City Police anti-trafficking group start surveillance against Lindberg. He is arrested on 25 January 2010, on his way to a meeting with a 14-year-old girl from Dalarna whom he had contacted on an Internet forum. Six months later, 30 July 2010, he is convicted to six years and six months in prison for assault, rape, aggravated rape, buying sexual favors, attempt to buy sexual favors, assisting to buy sexual favors, assisted attempt to buy sexual favors and solicitation. In total he is convicted on 17 out of 23 points.
    The appeals court will later lower his punishment to six years imprisonment.

    25 January will be four years since he was apprehended – in the middle of a sex-deal appointment with a 14-year-old girl in Falun.
    Saturday he will have served two-thirds of his punishment, and according to SvT (public TV) he will be released that weekend.
    ”More dangerous than before”
    Göran Lindberg used to be Dean of the Police Academy and was after that promoted to county chief of police in Uppsala. He frequently lectured on gender equality work and morals around the country and acquired the sarcastic nick-name ”Captain Dress” for being “soft”. At the same time he secretly indulged in violent sadistic sexual assault and rape.
    During 2013 the Criminal Care Authority conducted a psychological evaluation which showed Lindberg to be substantially more dangerous than before. ”Further it says that Lindberg has had a limited receptivity during his long treatment. He also, according to the examination, fulfills the criteria of sexual sadism”, one psychologist wrote in a statement.
    On Saturday he will have served two-thirds of his punishment, and according to SvT he will be released the coming weekend.

    So, this is a man in senior command who made his carreer lecturing about gender equality issues and against sexual assault and abuse, while he was himself very actively, and increasingly, engaging in such activities, including escalated violence, abuse of minors, etc. He refused to take any part in the treatment offered during incarceration but was nonetheless released on probation after the normal two-thirds of time. He is out there now, unrelenting.

    Many people find this wrong on so many counts and in so many ways. Reneging on good faith not least among them. It would not surprise me much if someone one day takes an axe or a lead pipe to this shining example. Not that I approve, mind you. But feelings are a bit heated around here.

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