Driven by Consent Advocates, Andrea Constand and Joyce Short, House passes breakthrough amendment to define "consent" in US military law

Consent Awareness Network announces that the House of Representatives passed the amendment to correctly define "consent" in the Uniform Code of Military Justice, achieving a major win for conquering sexual assault and sexual harassment throughout the US military.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Representative Annie Kuster (NY-02) led the House of Representatives in passing a critical amendment to conquer sexual assault and sexual harassment through the National Defense Authorization Act. Now the bill is being considered by the Senate.

Representative Kuster says: "Military sexual assault and harassment are at an all-time high with the military's own internal surveys indicating a staggering 38% increase in unwanted sexual contact in recent years. We owe the brave men and women who protect our nation the highest concern for their personal safety."

"As founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence, I was proud to introduce and pass this amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act to direct the Department of Defense to define consent and conduct fair, thorough investigations in cases of sexual assault," Kuster adds.

Advocates from the Consent Awareness Network (CAN), led by its founder Joyce Short, the author of Your Consent – The Key to Conquering Sexual Assault, launched this transformational fix for the flaw in military law (UCMJ).

Short says, "Correctly defining consent as 'freely given, knowledgeable and informed agreement by a person with the capacity to reason' enables our justice system to improve case handling for sexual assault, rape, domestic violence, sex trafficking, and sexual harassment. This definition will provide the blue-print to prevent the horrific victim-blaming currently embedded in the military's statutes, and in laws across the US and around the world. Every state and jurisdiction should adopt the UCMJ wording to address the issues raised by #MeToo, secure justice for victims, and hold sexual predators accountable for their actions."

CAN's efforts were supported by several advocates from high profile cases such as Andrea Constand and Stacey Pinkerton, Cosby survivors, and Susan and Alex Prout, whose 15 year old daughter was the victim of a "Senior Salute" at St. Paul's School in New Hampshire. Ms. Prout is a co-founder of the non-profit, I Have the Right To.https://www.ihavetherightto.org/

Andrea Constand says, "Bill Cosby's case would have had a very different outcome if this law was in effect when he engaged in his criminal behavior. We need our laws to enlighten and protect society from sexual predators."

Susan Prout says, "Our current laws are failing us. Our children and young adults need the guidance that our laws should provide. This bill is a monumental step forward!"

Stacey Pinkerton, also a Cosby Survivor, states, "The use of coercive control by the military hierarchy is a far too common and an unacceptable abuse. This bill will prevent such conduct."

Media Contact

Joyce Short, Consent Awareness Network (CAN), 1 917-517-8572, [email protected]

SOURCE Consent Awareness Network (CAN)