Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma

Judy Holland of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer carefully documents sexual assault within the military. Statistics and victims’ stories provide context for proposed legislation that would require an investigation into the handling of these cases and provide support for female veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

James Risen of the New York Times reports on a related story: sexual assault by military contractors. As Risen reports, in contrast to military personnel, contractors cannot even be prosecuted under the military justice system. This leaves women like Mary Beth Kineston, fired by military contractor KBR after complaining of multiple cases of sexual assault, in “legal limbo.” “I still have nightmares,” Ms. Kineston says in the article. “They changed my life forever, and they got away with it.” Although the number of private contractors now significantly outnumbers military personnel, totaling approximately 180,000, the total number of cases of sexual assault by contractors have not been forthcoming.