Reports on war-zone rapes quashed, senator says

[maddezmom]

By WILLIAM MARCH
Media General News Service
Published: April 23, 2008

More than two dozen times, women who work for U.S. military contractors have said they were raped by co-workers on military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, with no charges being filed in any case.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said a “buddy-buddy” system operating among the contractors and the military has sought to discourage victims from reporting sex crimes and stalled investigation or prosecution.

After being drawn into the issue by a Tampa woman who was one of those victims, and who has seen no law enforcement action for 30 months since reporting that she was raped in Iraq, Nelson has introduced legislation he says should help solve the problem.

“The contractor buddy-buddy system is trying to sweep this under the rug,” he said of the Tampa woman’s case. He said government agencies, including the military, Department of Justice and State Department, have taken “a lackadaisical attitude, sweeping evidence under the rug, intimidation … and then even losing evidence.”

more:http://www.newsadvance.com/lna/news/state_regional/article/reports_on_war_zone_rapes_quashed_senator_says/4174/

[babylonsister]

1. Contractor buddy buddy system?

Like KBR? IIRC they make employees sign something so they'd (the corporation) never be at fault; I hope Nelson and the Senate address that. And what's taken so long? I realize doing the right thing isn't a priority nowadays, but I can hope.

[Turner Ashby]

2. I like the "losing evidence" part.

I would hate to think that military police becomes as oxymoronic as military intelligence.

[Gman]

3. Bush will sign it with a signing statement

saying he'll ignore rape.

[CanonRay]

4. Where the hell is our "Justice" Department?

It is absolutely ridiculous that no one is punished for these crimes.