New York – It is no secret that U.S. military has recently been the center of media attention, not necessarily for acts of bravery but rather for acts of harassment and violence against its own female military personnel. Amidst controversy surrounding cover-ups, sexual harassment and assault, General Dawne Deskins of the New York Air National Guard is spearheading a new initiative to help prevent these types of behaviors in the National Guard.
Gen. Deskin was recently promoted to brigadier general last month. As the sixth woman to be promoted to general in the New York National Guard, she’s using her new position to lead the Guard’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) program for the 100,000 guardsmen.
Deskins’ 30-plus year military career has been positive – she wants every Airman to have that experience.
Her goals are to improve training for commanders at all levels, improve the process of reporting across the Guard and improve success with local law enforcement. She wants to educate Guardsmen on recognizing types of crime, people who commit it and the impact on victims. She wants to have an effect on the “culture level.”
“The Invisible War,” a 2012 documentary of the same name called investigated the “epidemic” of rape amongst soldiers within the U.S. military. A 2012 anonymous survey revealed that an estimated 26,000 soldiers, mostly women but some men, have experienced sexual assault in the military that year. Most went unreported. Many of the attackers were the soldiers’ own commander.
When you work in the military, an office, a restaurant, a construction site or anywhere else, you deserve to feel safe in the workplace. If you have been harassed, assault, attacked, tormented or otherwise abused at your job, a New York City Sexual Harassment Attorney can help protect your rights.
The New York City sexual harassment attorneys at Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC handles a multitude of sexual harassment cases that involve harassment & assault in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and throughout New York, New Jersey & Philadelphia. For further information, please feel free to call us at 212-587-0760 for a free consultation.
