Iraq Rape Claims Push Senate Panel to Act »
Posted By TimALoftis 1 year, 2 months ago in NewsGovernment contractors with workers in war zones may have to provide better treatment to employees who allege rape or sexual assault, thanks to a new Senate measure. Dawn Leamon tells what happened after reporting she was drugged and gang-raped.
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walden31 year, 2 months ago
Two things that I think would help would be-
#1 - Not allow arbitration agreements to be effective in sexual assault claims because as it stands now most of the large contractors force employees as a condition of employment to agree to arbitrate claims. Let's let employees who claim they were sexually assaulted sue the companies for big bucks. Money is the only thing the companies care about anyways.
#2 - Set up some system to allow American courts and law enforcement to oversee the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault overseas.
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donald511 year, 2 months ago
...I understand that the Bush DOJ refused to even investigate the Jones case... like all the stonewalling of reported contractor fraud and abuse out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Contempt of Congress charges not pursued either... but great torture memos to get around the law from the Bush DOJ! And, great firings of prosecutors who applied the law equally (in spite of Gonzo saying they were released for cause)!
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silvera1 year, 2 months ago
"The safety and security of all employees remains KBR's top priority," the company said. "Any allegation of sexual harassment or assault is taken seriously and investigated thoroughly."
Damn...these people must use Bush's public relations firm whose motto is, Veritus Escapeus or "Truth, we Don't Need no Steenking Truth".
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donald511 year, 2 months ago
...won't happen with the Bush DOJ and Dumya will veto the bill, then get senatorial repug support to maintain the veto. Dumya got his way on our '91 soldiers tortured by Sadam not being able to sue Iraq as a prime example!
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joeblowe1 year, 2 months ago
This is despicable. I'd like to know how the people committing these crimes are able to escape prison? Apparently our government - and the "new" government in Iraq are impotent. My strong advice - DO NOT WORK FOR THESE PEOPLE. If no one is willing to risk their own safety because of these incidents (which certainly seems reasonable in the case of females) pretty soon they will have a VERY difficult time filling those jobs. At ANY salary. THIS could well be their punishment: no more hefty government contracts because no one will work for them.
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Beau78901 year, 2 months ago
They're able to escape prison because the contracts for the private companies in Iraq include a provision that the companies can't be sued or prosecuted for their actions or the actions of their employees. It's outrageous, and though the Iraqi government (for instance) wants Blackwater out and contracts changed, our government won't let them. (More proof that we're not really interested in setting up a sovereign government in Iraq, just a branch office of the U.S. government.)
And unfortunately, KBR, Blackwater, Halliburton and the like won't have any problem filling jobs there--most people don't pay attention to the news or to these stories.
Let's hope Congress gets its act together and pressures Bush and Cheney to change the terms of the contracts--it REALLY looks bad for the White House to condone gang rapes and disallow prosecution, and I can't imagine any way to spin it so it looks better. Maybe McCain will weigh in--anyone know how he voted on the bill?
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raats66621 year, 2 months ago
This is despicable. I'd like to know how the people committing these crimes are able to escape prison?
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An even BIGGER question would be...why were these contracts renewed?
Blackwater's contract was recently renewed, even though they are currently being 'investigated' for the murder of Iraqi civilians AND the Iraqi Government doesn't want them in them in their country.
KBR's contract was recently renewed even though these accusation surfaced AND they are being investigated for failure to provide water and food (just to name two) at a standard that is required BY THE MILITARY, for combat area services.
So WHY WAS THEIR CONTRACTS RENEWED?
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awongscreen1 year, 2 months ago
No one will work for them? These companies will be able to hire other non-US citizens. There will always be women under financial difficulties to sign up even if the contracts state a 100% chance of getting rape.
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Dionys1 year, 2 months ago
Well they've been raping the American public for nearly 8 years.
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donald511 year, 2 months ago
This is a fine example of the difference between Repugs and anyone else... to repugs this is just more money for KBR (then under Halliburton) investors... while to two dozen raped young Amnerican females its ruined or near ruined lives! What the heck, 10 million poor kids in America were refused healthcare coverage too by the Repugs! There is a terrorist party in America!
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djrevelky1 year, 2 months ago
This is sad. It seems that US companies in Iraq operate like they do in America. How many women who file rape/assault/sexual harassment charges against their employers do not face a uphill climb? Most lose their jobs.
How do we handle this though? How can we make US citizens in foreign countries obey US laws? If Iraqi laws were enforced, the women who were raped would be jailed.
It's a tough situation all around and I don't think its because of "repug" interest. It still happens in the US, seemingly always has.
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Beau78901 year, 2 months ago
Well, the first thing we can do to private companies operating under government contract is to break the contract. I'm certain if there was a real threat of losing the business, the company would get serious about sexual assault. And they'd do it fast.
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saneman1 year, 2 months ago
Part of me is outraged by this and part of me is amazed that any young woman would go to Iraq alone amongst predominately men where there are no laws in place to deter men from engaging in rape. It like HELLO! For the most part that's all men especially at that age are thinking about and then you toss a young woman into that mess. Come on!!! Quit pretending to be in lala land.
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TheRealizer1 year, 2 months ago
I have been curious for quite some time about why no reports of civilian deaths in Iraq. A lady friend of mine went to Kuwait about 3 years ago, I have not heard from her since. I can assume only the worst has happened, rape would be preferable to death, however she was prepared emotionally for both...
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Beau78901 year, 2 months ago
What percentage of rape cases do you think are bogus, Endoscopy? Surely you're not thinking that most of them are. And if the majority of them are real, why not investigate any complaint and find out what happened?
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NoWayMan1 year, 2 months ago
um, endo, the major problem with rape stories is that most of them are true.
duke case aside, its the "rape" part thats seems to be the problem.
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NoWayMan1 year, 2 months ago
back in 2005 I heard a woman speak who had been in the military stationed in Iraq, inside the green zone. she told stories of how women wouldn't drink any liquids after a certain hour so they wouldn't have to use the bathroom after dark, since thats where most of the predators were lurking. or if they had to, they would go in groups with weapons ready.
she also talked about how one woman in her unit got raped and went to her CO, only to be told by the CO that nothing would be done since the guy who raped her was seen as a "hero" by most of the people in her unit.
really horrible stuff.
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