Changes on the way in how military handles sexual assault

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/12/20/212375/changes-on-the-way-in-how-military.html

Changes on the way in how military handles sexual assault
By Michael Doyle
McClatchy Washington Bureau
December 20, 2013

WASHINGTON — Get ready for some unforeseen consequences as Congress changes how the military handles sexual assault.

Alleged victims will get their own lawyers. That could protect their rights, or it could double-team the defense. Preliminary hearings will be constrained. That could shield victims, or it could shackle fact-finding. Military commanders who don’t prosecute allegations will get second-guessed by superiors. For any career-minded officer, that could be hard to ignore.

All told, Congress has ordered some 30 changes in how the military handles sexual assault. On Friday, President Barack Obama reiterated his own intentions to crack down.

“We pursued reforms that would encourage survivors to report these assaults, lead to more prosecutions, and put these perpetrators behind bars,” Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said Friday.