MLester is FIRED!
Well, my friends, we did it. Mark Lester is no longer a police officer at the Kent Police department. Now I am gathering the documentation to give to their Lieutenant to put in his report so he can put him on a list and he will never work in law enforcement in the state of Washington again. Thank you for all your letters and support through this. His soon to be ex called and said that Mark is blaming her and now he will go into the divorce hearing acting like he is the victim.
Today is National Stop Rape in the Military day so it is appropriate that I send you this now.
Peace~
Sara Rich
May 30 - INTERNATIONAL STOP MILITARY RAPE AWARENESS DAY
One of the saddest realities I faced when my daughter joined the U.S. Army was that sexual abuse is an epidemic in our military. Both of my grandfathers were in the military, one being a Colonel and the other was a Sergeant, and both were good men. I heard the statistics, but thought I had raised a tough daughter, she could deal with anything they threw at her. I had no idea how many perpetrators and sex offenders lurk and hide in our military. I did not realize was that one out of every three women and one out of every five men in the U.S. Military are sexually assaulted. I still feel shocked by these numbers. And even worse is that it is rare that the perpetrator is prosecuted for the crime of rape/sexual assault.
There are some fundamental changes that need to change so that people can serve in our armed forces without fear of being sexually assaulted by their own fellow soldiers. One is hold the command responsible for any type of complaints that are generated. This means independent investigations into any type of complaint is absolutely crucial. All the policies and procedures and task forces in the world won't help if the command is able to choose which one to enforce. Informing young people before they sign away their rights about the statistics of rape in the military should be mandated. Informed and honest recruiting needs to be upheld and not a joke.
We must take a stand together to end the good ole' boy mentality of "boys will be boys" and demand a ZERO tolerance for sexual abuse in the military.
Peace~
Sara Rich, M.S.W. and proud mom of Spc. Suzanne Swift
suzanneswift.org
FACT CHECK: MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA
Last year alone, almost 3,000 soldiers reported sexual assault and rape by other soldiers.
27% of men have experienced military sexual trauma
60% of women have experienced military sexual trauma
3.5% of men have experienced military sexual assault
23% of women have experienced military sexual assault
11% of women have experienced rape
1.2% of men have experienced rape
20% of women seeking care at VA facilities have experienced sexual trauma
source PBS >
LEARN MORE
Free Suzanne Swift - www.suzanneswift.org
IVAW Winter Soldier Testimony - Gender and Sexuality in the Military
Stop Military Rape - stopmilitaryrape.org
PBS - Fact Check: Military Sexual Trauama
Service Women's Action Network - www.servicewomen.org/
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network - www.rainn.org/
VA - Women's Veterans Issues
Department of Defense Sexual Assault and Prevention Assault Office
Women Organizing Women - Veteran Advocacy
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Stars, Stripes, and Sexual Assault
The Women's War
PBS - Military Sexual Trauma
For Women Warriors, Deep Wounds, Little Care
Rape Hobbles Bush Administration Policies
Silenced in the Barracks
Sexual Assaults in the Army on the Rise
The Rape of Latinas in the US Military
Is There an Army Cover - Up of Rape and Murder of Women Soldiers?
Well, my friends, we did it. Mark Lester is no longer a police officer at the Kent Police department. Now I am gathering the documentation to give to their Lieutenant to put in his report so he can put him on a list and he will never work in law enforcement in the state of Washington again. Thank you for all your letters and support through this. His soon to be ex called and said that Mark is blaming her and now he will go into the divorce hearing acting like he is the victim.
Today is National Stop Rape in the Military day so it is appropriate that I send you this now.
Peace~
Sara Rich
May 30 - INTERNATIONAL STOP MILITARY RAPE AWARENESS DAY
One of the saddest realities I faced when my daughter joined the U.S. Army was that sexual abuse is an epidemic in our military. Both of my grandfathers were in the military, one being a Colonel and the other was a Sergeant, and both were good men. I heard the statistics, but thought I had raised a tough daughter, she could deal with anything they threw at her. I had no idea how many perpetrators and sex offenders lurk and hide in our military. I did not realize was that one out of every three women and one out of every five men in the U.S. Military are sexually assaulted. I still feel shocked by these numbers. And even worse is that it is rare that the perpetrator is prosecuted for the crime of rape/sexual assault.
There are some fundamental changes that need to change so that people can serve in our armed forces without fear of being sexually assaulted by their own fellow soldiers. One is hold the command responsible for any type of complaints that are generated. This means independent investigations into any type of complaint is absolutely crucial. All the policies and procedures and task forces in the world won't help if the command is able to choose which one to enforce. Informing young people before they sign away their rights about the statistics of rape in the military should be mandated. Informed and honest recruiting needs to be upheld and not a joke.
We must take a stand together to end the good ole' boy mentality of "boys will be boys" and demand a ZERO tolerance for sexual abuse in the military.
Peace~
Sara Rich, M.S.W. and proud mom of Spc. Suzanne Swift
suzanneswift.org
FACT CHECK: MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA
Last year alone, almost 3,000 soldiers reported sexual assault and rape by other soldiers.
27% of men have experienced military sexual trauma
60% of women have experienced military sexual trauma
3.5% of men have experienced military sexual assault
23% of women have experienced military sexual assault
11% of women have experienced rape
1.2% of men have experienced rape
20% of women seeking care at VA facilities have experienced sexual trauma
source PBS >
LEARN MORE
Free Suzanne Swift - www.suzanneswift.org
IVAW Winter Soldier Testimony - Gender and Sexuality in the Military
Stop Military Rape - stopmilitaryrape.org
PBS - Fact Check: Military Sexual Trauama
Service Women's Action Network - www.servicewomen.org/
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network - www.rainn.org/
VA - Women's Veterans Issues
Department of Defense Sexual Assault and Prevention Assault Office
Women Organizing Women - Veteran Advocacy
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Stars, Stripes, and Sexual Assault
The Women's War
PBS - Military Sexual Trauma
For Women Warriors, Deep Wounds, Little Care
Rape Hobbles Bush Administration Policies
Silenced in the Barracks
Sexual Assaults in the Army on the Rise
The Rape of Latinas in the US Military
Is There an Army Cover - Up of Rape and Murder of Women Soldiers?
posted by:
|
Portland
|
-
Sara--I am so happy for you and Suzanne---sometimes justice is slow, but I am glad that the tormentor is tormented--I hope that the story has legs, and others will realize that victims don't stay that way, and while the military may protect them, the rest of the world finds their behaviour reprehensible. Love you. See you soon.
