May 2, 2018

#MeToo, the hashtag that sparked a powerful movement against sexual harassment and assault, became a phenomenon in 2017. Now Congress has its sights set on the defense bill as a means to stamp out the troubling problems in the military.

Last week, the House Armed Services Committee began its work on the fiscal year 2019 defense authorization bill. The bill included several sexual assault prevention provisions.

The bill would require the defense secretary to report to Congress on DoD's implementation of new guidelines on harassment prevention and response, according to the committee. The bill would also require the defense secretary to standardize expedited transfer procedures for sexual assault victims and would require establishing a new transfer policy for dependents who are survivors of abuse perpetrated by an unrelated servicemember.

For cadets at military academies, the bill would require the service secretaries to fast track consideration and approval for inter-academy transfer for sexual assault victims.

House lawmakers also want DoD to review how the military provides victim counseling for cases prosecuted in civilian courts.

The defense secretary should also designate a point of contact with responsibility for oversight of DoD's registered sex offender management program, according to the committee.

The #MeToo movement has affected people in many professions, including those in Hollywood, sports, and media. Actor and former NFL linebacker Terry Crews, Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney, and TV news commentator Gretchen Carlson shared stories of harassment and abuse.

The movement became so big that Time magazine named “the silence breakers” as its 2017 Person of the Year.

The military is not exempt from sexual harassment and assault. The Pentagon's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) recently reported a 10 percent increase in the number of assaults reported in FY 2017. Among the services, the Marine Corps saw a 14.7 percentage point increase in the number assaults reported, followed by the Navy (9.3 percent increase), the Air Force (9.2 percent increase), and the Army (8.4 percent increase).

Military leaders see the higher number of reports filed as an indication of trust in the system.

While military commanders had sufficient evidence to take disciplinary action in 62 percent of reports filed, records show a decrease in the number of convictions.

HASC lawmakers will hold another hearing on the defense bill on May 9. Senate lawmakers are expected to begin their work on the defense bill on May 21.

For additional information on SAPRO, please visit the website here.