By Lori Adelman • @ladelman • 11 years ago

Preview tonight’s report on rape and sexual assault in the military

They are told to expect it and then ignored, called “crazy”, and denied access to healthcare when it happens.

Each year, more than 3,000 military men and women report being sexually assaulted by fellow service members. Officials say the number of actual assaults is far higher, closer to 19,000. Of the cases that are reported, only a fraction are prosecuted.

Tonight, NBC’s Natalie Morales will sit down with female soldiers from every branch of the military who say they were raped while serving their country and then were retaliated against for coming forward. She will also interview Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, who has admitted this is a serious problem. It’s on at 10. Check out a preview clip here and catch the rest tonight. You can also check out this new ad campaign from the ACLU and retired military leaders and veterans, visit Stand With Servicewomen to sign the petition, and help spread the word.

Brooklyn, NY

Lori Adelman started blogging with Feministing in 2008, and now runs partnerships and strategy as a co-Executive Director. She is also the Director of Youth Engagement at Women Deliver, where she promotes meaningful youth engagement in international development efforts, including through running the award-winning Women Deliver Young Leaders Program. Lori was formerly the Director of Global Communications at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and has also worked at the United Nations Foundation on the Secretary-General's flagship Every Woman Every Child initiative, and at the International Women’s Health Coalition and Human Rights Watch. As a leading voice on women’s rights issues, Lori frequently consults, speaks and publishes on feminism, activism and movement-building. A graduate of Harvard University, Lori has been named to The Root 100 list of the most influential African Americans in the United States, and to Forbes Magazine‘s list of the “30 Under 30” successful mediamakers. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Lori Adelman is an Executive Director of Feministing in charge of Partnerships.

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