US military probes sex assault claims

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Donald H Rumsfeld has ordered an investigation into the treatment of servicewomen in the Gulf war zone who report sexual assaults by their male comrades-in-arms, the Pentagon said.

“I am concerned about recent reports regarding allegations of sexual assaults on service members deployed to Iraq and Kuwait,” Rumsfeld wrote in a memo to David Chu, the Pentagon’s under secretary for personnel and readiness. “Sexual assault will not be tolerated in the Department of Defense”.In the memo, dated Thursday, Rumsfeld ordered a review of military procedures for medical care for sexual assault victims, as well as a way to guarantee privacy of victims who report assaults in a combat area.A defence official, who made the memo available to reporters on Friday, said the memo came in response to media reports about sexual assaults in the region, specifically a January 25 story by The Denver Post.The Post cited officials with the Miles Foundation, a Connecticut-based organisation that helps victims of sexual or family violence who are connected to the military.Some 37 women have told the foundation they were assaulted by fellow military personnel while in Iraq or Kuwait during the last year, said Christine Hansen, the organisation’s executive director.Several said they did not receive thorough medical care, access to chaplains and lawyers or information on their rights, Hansen said in a telephone interview.Only 11 of the women had reported the sexual attacks to military authorities, Hansen said.Many said they were afraid of retribution for reporting the incidents, she said, and some who did complain received unfavourable changes in their jobs or locations.Another woman working with the foundation reported being raped while serving in the Iraq-Kuwait region, but she did not know if it was by a member of the US military or someone else.She also reported being assaulted to military authorities.The women comprise a mix of officers and enlisted personnel, Hansen said, with some from all four service branches: Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.Some of the alleged assaults took place at established bases, others at austere forward posts in combat areas.Some of the women told the foundation they were not examined for exposure to sexually transmitted diseases or given pregnancy tests, Hansen said.According to defence officials, 59 000 military women served within the region managed by US Central Command, which includes Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, between October 2002 and November 2003.Most were in Iraq and Kuwait.The defence official said the Army has had 80 reports of sexual misconduct in the Central Command region during the past year.Another defence official said four are being treated as rape cases.The Air Force recorded seven sexual misconduct cases in the region, the Marines one of sexual assault.Despite Navy cases reported to the Miles Foundation, naval officers said they have had no reports.Few of the allegations have been reported publicly.In November, a military official acknowledged that a female soldier reported she was raped at a desert post in Kuwait where her unit was preparing for its mission in Iraq.The outcome of that case is unclear.The military has experienced problems with sexual assaults in the United States.Last year, Air Force Secretary James G. Roche purged the top echelon of officers at the Air Force Academy and instituted sweeping changes amid allegations that officers ignored complaints of rape or sexual assault.A subsequent investigation documented 142 reported attacks at the academy in the prior decade.- Nampa-AP”Sexual assault will not be tolerated in the Department of Defense”. In the memo, dated Thursday, Rumsfeld ordered a review of military procedures for medical care for sexual assault victims, as well as a way to guarantee privacy of victims who report assaults in a combat area. A defence official, who made the memo available to reporters on Friday, said the memo came in response to media reports about sexual assaults in the region, specifically a January 25 story by The Denver Post. The Post cited officials with the Miles Foundation, a Connecticut-based organisation that helps victims of sexual or family violence who are connected to the military. Some 37 women have told the foundation they were assaulted by fellow military personnel while in Iraq or Kuwait during the last year, said Christine Hansen, the organisation’s executive director. Several said they did not receive thorough medical care, access to chaplains and lawyers or information on their rights, Hansen said in a telephone interview. Only 11 of the women had reported the sexual attacks to military authorities, Hansen said. Many said they were afraid of retribution for reporting the incidents, she said, and some who did complain received unfavourable changes in their jobs or locations. Another woman working with the foundation reported being raped while serving in the Iraq-Kuwait region, but she did not know if it was by a member of the US military or someone else. She also reported being assaulted to military authorities. The women comprise a mix of officers and enlisted personnel, Hansen said, with some from all four service branches: Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Some of the alleged assaults took place at established bases, others at austere forward posts in combat areas. Some of the women told the foundation they were not examined for exposure to sexually transmitted diseases or given pregnancy tests, Hansen said. According to defence officials, 59 000 military women served within the region managed by US Central Command, which includes Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, between October 2002 and November 2003. Most were in Iraq and Kuwait. The defence official said the Army has had 80 reports of sexual misconduct in the Central Command region during the past year. Another defence official said four are being treated as rape cases. The Air Force recorded seven sexual misconduct cases in the region, the Marines one of sexual assault. Despite Navy cases reported to the Miles Foundation, naval officers said they have had no reports. Few of the allegations have been reported publicly. In November, a military official acknowledged that a female soldier reported she was raped at a desert post in Kuwait where her unit was preparing for its mission in Iraq. The outcome of that case is unclear. The military has experienced problems with sexual assaults in the United States. Last year, Air Force Secretary James G. Roche purged the top echelon of officers at the Air Force Academy and instituted sweeping changes amid allegations that officers ignored complaints of rape or sexual assault. A subsequent investigation documented 142 reported attacks at the academy in the prior decade. – Nampa-AP