House Considers Bill to Help Military Rape Survivors

Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) recently reintroduced legislation allocating three years of funds to improve the military's response to rape cases. The bill, H.R. 4077, is known as the Preventing Sexual Assaults in the Military Act of 2005. It aims to cover the costs of processing the backlog of DNA evidence, improving DNA testing procedures, providing sufficient numbers of forensic evidence kits to military academies and bases, and ensuring that either a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner or Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner is on duty at all times in each academy, base, or theater of operations.

“Rapes and sexual assaults are far too common in both civilian life and the military,” Maloney said. “This legislation will bring proper medical care to military rape victims and will bring justice by using DNA technology to identify perpetrators.”

Media Resources: H.R. 4077, Press Release from the Office of Carolyn Maloney

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