Res. No. 142
Resolution calling on the United States Congress to pass and the President to sign H.R. 1593, also known as the "STOP Act", which would establish a Sexual Assault and Oversight Response Council.
By Council Members Rose, Barron, Lander, Mendez, Levin, Kallos, Reynoso and Menchaca
Whereas, According to the United States ("U.S.") Army, women currently serve in 95 percent of all Army occupations and comprise 15.7 percent of individuals on active duty; and
Whereas, Women have long served with honor in U.S. armed forced, dating back to the establishment of the U.S. Army in 1775; and
Whereas, Woman play an integral role in preserving the freedom of the U.S.; and
Whereas, According to a 2013 report issued by The Pentagon, during fiscal year 2012, there were an estimated 26,000 incidents of sexual assault in the military with only 3,374 incidents reported; and
Whereas, Sexual assaults include, but are not limited to, rape, aggravated sexual contact, and abusive and wrongful sexual contact; and
Whereas, H.R. 1593, sponsored by Congresswoman Jackie Speier and currently pending before the United States House of Representatives, seeks to establish a sexual assault and oversight response council in order to properly address reported acts of sexual assault in the military; and
Whereas, H.R. 1593 is also known as "the Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention Act" or "STOP Act"; and
Whereas, The STOP Act would establish a Sexual Assault Oversight and Response ("SAOR") Council, composed mainly of civilians, as an independent entity from the chain of command of the U.S. Department of Defense; and
Whereas, The STOP Act would establish within the U.S. Department of Defense a SAOR Office to undertake specified duties and responsibilities relating to the investigation, prevention, and reduction of sexual assault incidents within the Armed Forces; and
Whereas, The STOP Act would establish a Director of Military Prosecutions who would be appointed by the SAOR Council to have independent and final authority to oversee the prosecution of all sexual-related offenses committed by a member of the Armed Forces, and to refer such cases to trial by courts-martial; and
Whereas, The STOP Act would would help remove the reporting, oversight, investigation and victim care of sexual assaults from the U.S. military's normal chain of command, place jurisdiction in the newly created, autonomous SAOR Office comprised of civilian and military experts, and help victims receive justice; now, therefore be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the United States Congress to pass and the President to sign H.R. 1593, also known as the "STOP Act", which would establish a Sexual Assault and Oversight Response Council.
WJH
1/15/14
LS 4741