Ernst should support protections for all women

Thanks to Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley for supporting Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's bill intended to reduce sexual assault in the military. Proposed legislation would take the decision to prosecute an alleged sexual assault out of the military chain of command and give this responsibility to an independent military prosecutor.

Ernst, a former military commander and survivor of sexual assault, opposed this legislation when it was introduced. However, despite assurances from the Defense Department that sexual assault in the military would be taken seriously, the incidence has not fallen. Ernst has spoken publicly about the lifelong damaging effects of this crime on survivors and now supports passage of the bill.

Other legislation aimed at reducing gender-based violence is the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which expired and needs to be reauthorized. Last year, when reauthorization was passed in the House, Ernst drafted a competing bill which eliminated a provision recognizing the authority of tribal courts in cases involving assault or murder of Native American and Alaska Native women by non-Native perpetrators. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that Native women are over 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than U.S. women generally, and 70 percent of those assaults are committed by non-Natives. Too often, these cases are not prosecuted or the charges are dropped.

All women deserve effective legal protection from crimes of violence, and reauthorization of a robust VAWA would be a significant step in the right direction.

Alice Dahle

Cedar Rapids