On the recordDecember 15, 2011
I rise again today to highlight the epidemic of rape and sexual assault in the military. This is the 14th time that I will stand on this floor to tell the story of yet another victim. Each has proudly served their country, each was violently attacked, and each was subjected to a system of justice that protects the perpetrators and punishes the victims. Make no mistake, the United States military is the finest in the world. But even the Department of Defense recognizes that there is a deep-rooted problem of military sexual trauma that must be addressed. DOD estimates that there are some 19,000 soldiers who are sexually assaulted or raped each year in the military. It's a staggering figure. Sexual assault in the military is a cancer that is undermining readiness, unit cohesion and morale, and fixing this broken system will strengthen our military, not weaken it, as some have argued. Today, I want to tell the story of Specialist Andrea Neutzling. Originally from a small town on the banks of the Ohio River, Specialist Neutzling served in the Army from 2000 to 2004 and then served in the Army Reserves from August 2004 until April 2010. She has served her country in Korea and twice deployed to Iraq. In 2002, while serving in Korea, Specialist Neutzling was sexually assaulted by an intoxicated colleague outside the latrine. She decided to report the assault to her command, and her assailant was sentenced-- sentenced to 5 days of base restriction. That was it.…
