LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION urging the New York State Congressional Deleg-
ation to pass the "Defense Sexual Trauma Response Oversight and Good
Governance Act" (the Defense STRONG Act), H.R. 1529

WHEREAS, The Defense Sexual Trauma Response Oversight and Good Gover-
nance Act, known as the Defense STRONG Act, H.R. 1529, seeks to expand
legal rights and protections for service members who have been the
victims of sexual assault; and
WHEREAS, In 2010, there were 3,230 reported sexual assaults in the
military; and
WHEREAS, By the Pentagon's own estimate, as few as 10 percent of sexu-
al assaults are reported; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that one in
three women veterans report experiencing some form of military sexual
trauma; and
WHEREAS, Female recruits are now far more likely to be subjected to
sexual assault than killed in combat; and
WHEREAS, The Defense STRONG Act will expand legal rights and
protections for service members who have been the victims of sexual
assault by: establishing a director of Sexual Assault and Response
Office; requiring at least one full-time sexual assault response coordi-
nator and one full-time sexual assault victim advocate within each mili-
tary department; entitling any member of the Armed Forces, or dependent
of a member, who has been the victim of sexual assault to military legal
assistance, whether they choose to begin an official investigation or
not; privileging communication between a member or dependent and victim
advocates; providing for sexual assault prevention and response training
at every level of professional military education; and providing the
right to a base transfer for a victim of sexual assault; and
WHEREAS, This legislation is supported by the Service Women's Action
Network (SWAN); and
WHEREAS, Anu Bhagwati, Executive Director of SWAN states: "In a system
that is entirely build on rank and intimidation, it is no wonder that
survivors do not come forward more often about the most brutal and
horrifying experiences of their lives"; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the New York State Congressional delegation be and
hereby is respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to pass the
Defense Sexual Trauma Response Oversight and Good Governance Act (the
Defense STRONG Act), H.R. 1529; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to each member of the Congressional delegation from the State of
New York.