It's Time to Protect Those Who Protect Us

Sexual Assault and Harassment In the Military

#TheirSafetyIsOurSafety

Sexual assault and harassment in the military is systemic and pervasive. With nearly 1.3 million active-duty service members, the Department of Defense (DOD) is the nation’s largest employer. Instead of setting the gold standard for workplace culture, the DOD operates under an extreme set of laws and cultural expectations that has allowed abuse, mistreatment and discrimination to go unchecked. The ongoing and widespread problems of sexual assault and harassment are a scourge that put service members at risk of physical danger and, in some cases, death. Shrouded from public view and guarded by arcane policies and cultural norms, safety, dignity and equity are out of reach for most who have experienced sexual violence. 

This is an issue for all of us. Our service members work to keep all of us safe, and are in their workplace 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days every year. Sexual assault and harassment in the military is the very definition of workplace harassment. If you’re committed to ending sexual harassment in workplace, ending it in the military is critical.

 

REAL REFORM IS
LONG OVERDUE

 

Anything less than transparent, meaningful change will no longer be acceptable for our service members. For too long, policy makers’ and military leaders’ unwillingness to address structural and cultural barriers have made real reform and accountability nearly impossible. No more. Necessary changes include increasing accountability and prevention measures, reinventing the current prosecution structure, and, most importantly, centering survivors in the aftermath of harm.
As non-military civilians, we need to raise our voices in the call for long-overdue action on this issue, because the fact is, when those who protect our nation from harm do not feel safe in their workplace, we are not safe either.

TIME'S UP's Sexual Assault and Harassment In The Military Issue Brief

Too many service members — men, women, and women of color — have endured sexual assault, but have been forced to suffer in silence for fear of being dismissed or worse, retaliated against, for speaking up. Help TIME’S UP bridge the civilian-military divide by reading the fact sheet to learn more about the systemic and pervasive nature of sexual assault and harassment in the military and reviewing our issue brief to understand why it is an urgent issue for us all.

 

 

Letter In Support of Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Legislation

On July 23rd, TIME’S UP and a broad coalition of more than 50 gender, racial, labor, and military advocacy groups presented Congressional leadership with a letter urging strong support for the passage of the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act (MJIIPA) in the Senate and its companion bill in the House, the Vanessa Guillén Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act (VG-MJIIPA) to create a safer and more equitable military.

While this legislation is not the only step required to transform the military’s approach to assault and harassment, it is a critical step that troops need now. 

TIME'S UP Commends The Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment

For nearly a decade, the Pentagon has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in training, preventions and other programs with little result. Without policy reform that addresses systemic issues, programmatic efforts remain ineffective.

At the direction of President Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III ordered a 90-Day Independent Review Commission (IRC) on Sexual Assault in the Military to take action to address sexual assault and harassment in the force. The IRC made 82 recommendations in four priority areas: accountability; prevention; climate and culture; and victim care and support.

Read our full statement.

Enough Is Enough. TIME'S UP Teams Up To Take On Sexual Harassment & Assault in the Military

As Americans, we all have a stake in making sure our armed forces are strong, resilient and represent the best of us. Our all-volunteer force constitutes 1% of our population, who are dedicated to keeping the 99% of us safe. Those service members deserve to be safe in their workplace, and when they suffer harassment or abuse, they deserve to be heard and supported. It is time we all play our part in combating and preventing harassment and assault in the military. Read our blog post on sexual harassment in the military.

JOIN US by:

  • Following TIME’S UP on Twitter (@TIMESUPNOW) for updates related to the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military recommendations; and CALL ON CONGRESS to take immediate action to support H.R. 4104 Vanessa Guillén Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act (VG-MJIIPA) sponsored by Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Congressman Michael R. Turner (R-OH) in the House and S. 1520 Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act (MJIIPA) sponsored by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Charles Grassley (R-IA) in the Senate. to finally address and prevent sexual harassment in the military.
  • Getting involved at https://timesupnow.org/ to join the coalition of military survivor advocates, former service members, and policy experts who are coordinating a national strategy and public will-building campaign to drive bold action to finally address sexual assault and harassment in our armed forces.