Bill adds protections for sex assault victims

[unhappycamper]

Bill adds protections for sex assault victims
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday May 19, 2010 15:49:13 EDT

In a move that could lead more military women to report sexual assaults and seeking counseling, the House Armed Services Committee voted Wednesday to allow conversations between victims and victims’ advocates to be privileged communications.

At the urging of Rep. Susan Davis, D-Calif., the committee approved a new rule that would treat communications between sexual assault victims and their advocates in a way similar to information shared between patients and psychiatrists.

Communications with chaplains, medical personnel and sexual assault coordinators are considered restricted under current military policy, which means that the information will be shared only with those in the chain of command who have a need to know, military officials said.

Victims are warned that they could face punishment if it is discovered they were engaged in misconduct at the time of the assault.

Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass., a cosponsor of the amendment, said 35 states already treat information shared between a victim and counselor as privileged.




unhappycamper comment: At least one third of women in the United States military have been raped or sexually assaulted.