Lawsuit Alleges Tolerance for Rape, Sex Abuse in Military

Lawsuit Alleges Tolerance for Rape, Sex Abuse in Military
November 14, 2011
Virginian-Pilot
by Bill Sizemore

VIRGINIA BEACH -- A female Sailor who worked in a support role for a Virginia Beach-based SEAL team is one of 28 plaintiffs who allege in a federal lawsuit that they were raped or sexually assaulted with virtual impunity while on military duty.

The plaintiffs -- 25 women and three men from all of the services -- accuse two former defense secretaries, Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates, of allowing the perpetuation of a military culture in which sexual abusers go unpunished and are even promoted, while their victims are discouraged from seeking justice and subjected to harassment and retaliation when they do.

Petty Officer 1st Class Amy Lockhart alleges she was raped by a member of a Beach-based SEAL team while she was blacked out after a night of drinking with Sailors during a pre-deployment training trip to California in February 2010. She also says her senior enlisted leader failed to take her accusations seriously, dismissing them with degrading, sexually charged language, including calling her a "slut."
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