LANSING — State Representative Adam F. Zemke (D-Ann Arbor) introduced House Resolution 203, which urges Congress to pass the Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention (STOP) Act, which seeks to curb the epidemic of rape and sexual assault in the U.S. military. More than half of the House, 58 representatives, signed onto the resolution as co-sponsors.
“The current system for reporting military sexual assault is in dire need of repair,” Zemke said. “Legislation has been introduced to make reporting and prosecuting these crimes easier. I’m proud to introduce this resolution urging Congress to act, and I’m encouraged that so many of my colleagues have indicated their support.”
According to the resolution, the Defense Department cited 26,000 incidents of sexual assault in 2012, but more than 85 percent of them went unreported. Rapists often work above their victims in the chain of command, where reporting takes place. The STOP Act would remove reporting from the chain of command to an autonomous agency.