The chair of the Pentagon’s new sexual assault independent review committee, Lynn Rosenthal, briefs the media, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Feb. 26, 2021. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
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 bold action to address sexual assault and harassment in the force. Lynn Rosenthal, formerly the first-ever White House adviser on violence against women and a well-known gender violence expert, will lead the effort. The IRC will make recommendations related to: accountability; prevention; climate and culture; and victim care and support. Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby and Rosenthal, chair of the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military, updated reporters at a Pentagon news briefing on Wednesday. The IRC also wants to hear from service members who are survivors of sexual assault and harassment.
“The charge of the independent review commission is to make this broad assessment and then make recommendations to the secretary of defense and ultimately to the president. These people will be deliberating on those recommendations. I don’t expect an in-the-weeds view of 150 policies that should be tweaked around the edges. That is not what we are about. We are about looking at major shifts and big picture items that could really change the culture, improve care for victims, bring about evidence-based prevention and hold offenders accountable.”
-Lynn Rosenthal, Chair of Pentagon’s sexual assault review committee explained.
While the commission’s primary task is to provide accountability for those who commit crimes of sexual assault, Rosenthal also said the commission will be looking at climate, culture and prevention. Secretary of Defense Austin announced the creation of the commission in a Feb. 26 memorandum to Defense Department leaders.
“Sexual assault and harassment remain persistent and corrosive problems across the total force,” wrote Austin. “I expect every member of our total force to be part of the solution and leaders — both civilian and military — across the Department to take direct accountability to drive meaningful change.”
PENTAGON Vows To Prevent Sexual Assault in U.S. Military After Disturbing Video
U.S. Marine Posts Video Alleging Sexual Harassment
A screenshot from a Marine’s viral TikTok video. TikTok/@gwotthot
The Defense Secretary addressed the issue of sexual harassment one day after a female U.S. Marine posted a shocking video online TikTok February 19 angrily accusing a general of intervening to stop the ouster of another Marine she accused of sexual assault and exposing once again the lack of military oversight and accountability such cases. The woman alleges that a general intervened in the case to allow her assailant to remain in the Marines. Last year, the Pentagon reported a 3% increase in sexual assaults in 2019.
“And this is exactly why F…ing females in the military F…ing killing themselves,” the distraught woman said through tears in the video. “This is exactly why nobody F…ing takes this seriously.” -Female U.S. Marine
Sexual Assault a Known Problem in U.S. Military For Years
Sexual assault has been a problem in the U.S. military for many years. The services have been trying to solve the problem for decades now. Rosenthal said she believes the IRC will have a new take on the issue and will be looking at new aspects of the problem to try to find a solution that works.
All Options on Table To Eradicate Sexual Assault in Military
“I think what we’ll be asking: what hasn’t been tried, what happens in civilian society that is a best practice that we could try on the military side, and then what are the unique attributes of the military environment that [allow] us to do things that we can’t do on the civilian side,” she said. “I think that these folks that we’re bringing in will be looking at this with fresh eyes. I also think that what makes this moment in time different are the words of President Biden and Secretary Austin who have both said that all options should be on the table — and one of those is carefully examining the role of command in decisions to refer cases to prosecution. We will be assessing that very carefully.”
