Some Oppose Army's Sexual Assault Database

[Eugene]

Some Oppose Army's Sexual Assault Database


Saturday November 26, 2005 8:16 AM

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - An Army plan to develop a database of sexual
assaults is meeting some resistance from members of Congress and an
advocacy group who say it could violate victims' privacy.

In a letter to Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey, 15 members of
Congress said the new system would deter sexual assault victims from
reporting crimes and seeking treatment, and they asked him not to
collect or store any personal information or medical records in the
database.

The proposal comes in the wake of sex assault scandals in the
military and ongoing efforts by the Pentagon to respond to those
problems. The Air Force Academy in Colorado is still struggling to
recover from complaints that dozens of female cadets were assaulted
and then punished when they reported it. And a recent survey by the
Veterans Affairs Department showed that six in 10 women who served in
the National Guard and Reserves say they were sexually harassed or
assaulted.

<snip>

The planned Army system would include the victim's name, Social
Security number, date of birth, other demographic information,
military service data, assault investigation and police reports,
medical and other support records, and any actions taken against
offenders.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5439194,00.html

[Trillo]

1. How much does it cost the Overlords to delete the personal indentities?

Ah, yes, the "ownership" society Welfare.

Nothing ever seems to change, little people are ALWAYS punished.

[Mairead]

2. From the information to be kept, it sounds to me as tho it's meant

to be a 'troublemakers' db.

[salin]

4. that was my immediate thought as well...

keep track of information on victims... guess there is an assumptions that all of the assaults are "caused" by a few individuals who bring charges? Makes me think of the knee-jerk reaction of some who anytime the issue of rape is raised jump straight to the 'don't believe it... probably a false accusation' - as we all *know* that the rate of ruined lives brought on by false accusations far out numbers the incidents of rape. :sarcasm:

[noamnety]

3. It would deter me from reporting it (nt)

[Gyre]

5. This is a GREAT WAY to make sure it never gets reported.

But it's no big surprise that that was the goal the whole time. The Army sucks!

Gyre