Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, has become the center of the nation’s biggest military sex abuse case in years. Over the past several months, a widespread sexual crime epidemic has been uncovered at the camp, reports Soumya Karlamangla in a new report at thenation.com. Twelve of the base’s instructors have been accused of either rape, sodomy and aggravated sexual assault and at least thirty-one female trainees have been identified as victims.
TO DODozens of lawmakers are calling for a Congressional hearing to investigate the incidents at Lackland. Hoping to build momentum, Protect Our Defenders, an organization dedicated to combating the prevalence sexual violence in the military, recently launched a petition demanding an immediate hearing. Add your name to the call. After weighing in, share this info with friends, family and your Twitter and Facebook communities.
TO READJuliette Kayyem’s opinion piece in the Boston Globe debunked the pernicious notion that sexual abuse in the military is somehow tied to the the emergence of women in closer proximity to combat. Kayyem calls this argument a complete ruse and contends that women in combat are not only not a cause of sexual assault, but they could, in fact, be the cure.
TO WATCHIn this recent CNN interview, Representative Jackie Speier argues that an independent inquiry is immediately required and makes clear the magnitude of the scandal at Lackland, where every American airman (a fifth of whom are women) goes for basic training.
A weekly guide to meaningful action, this blog connects readers with resources to channel the outrage so many feel after reading about abuses of power and privilege. Far from a comprehensive digest of all worthy groups working on behalf of the social good, Take Action seeks to shine a bright light on one concrete step that Nation readers can take each week. To broaden the conversation, we’ll publish a weekly follow-up post detailing the response and featuring additional campaigns and initiatives that we hope readers will check out. Toward that end, please use the comments field to give us ideas. With your help, we can make real change
