Thread by @EngagingVoices

Powerful statement from the Idaho Female Veterans Network regarding Idaho Rep. Priscilla Giddings, who has abused, shamed, and doxxed a 19-year-old rape survivor using her state email newsletter and server. #idleg #idpol #expelgiddings

You can read the statement on Facebook and in this thread. facebook.com/Idaho-Female-V…

On behalf of the Idaho Female Veterans Network board of directors we release this statement regarding the situation involving Major Priscilla Giddings:

First and foremost, we want to express our deepest sympathy to the victim. We as a group of female Veterans can relate to this unfortunate situation and we extend our well wishes to her.

Secondly, we would also like to make a point to say that in no way are we affiliated with any political party as an organization.

Our mission throughout the years in the Idaho Female Veterans network has been to support, encourage, and educate the Veteran and civilian community in all matters related to women Veterans and their families while navigating the civilian world post service.

It is heart breaking to us that an Air Force officer took it upon herself to release the personal information of an alleged sexual assault victim.

With the recent murder of Vanessa Guillen, an Army specialist who was sexually assaulted and murdered at Fort Hood, Texas, and the very public investigations into military leaders’ abilities to conduct proper and fair sexual assault allegations across all branches and bases,

...this is very plaguing. The military has a reputation of intimidating and bullying soldiers who bring forth their sexual assault allegations and the recent actions of Major Giddings shed no hope on this.

Military sexual assault and harassment (MST) affect 1 out of every 4 soldiers, and last year alone were over 10,000 reports of MST. 1,307,781 new outpatient visits took place at the VA for MST-related care in 2019 alone.

We understand that the victim in this case is not military, however, the person who shared her information publicly is.

We would like to share statements from our female Veteran community in lieu of this conversation:
"The amount of danger she put this alleged victim in is the same danger I fear every single day of my life".

Another said, "one of the reasons sexual harassment and rape are STILL so prevalent in the military is because leadership, high ranking officers, find this a problem in protecting officers who behave without compunction".

The statements from our women Veteran community go on. "I feel let down", "we deal with enough troubles as women in the military", and "why don't more victims come forward more often we ask?". Retaliation is the norm.

64% of women who reported a sexual assault face retaliation. 66% of retaliation reports alleged that retaliators were in the reporter’s chain of command. A third of victims are discharged after reporting, typically within 7 months of making a report.

It is imperative that a soldier can report their assaults without the fear of retaliation and unfortunately, a lot of leaders like Major Giddings have not made that a possibility.

We ask that you keep this victim in your thoughts, along with the Veterans who faced similar retaliations from other military leaders.

If you are a victim of a crime committed while serving in our military, whether reported, documented, or not, please contact the Boise Veterans Center by calling 208-342-3612.