The Invisible War Page #3

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absolutely scared,

Didn't know what to do.

I called my dad.

- One of the first things

she said is,

"dad, I'm no longer

a virgin."

And, uh-

[crying]

I said, "what happened?"

- She said, "I was raped."

- And I said,

"hannah, you're a virgin.

"because he took something

from you

That you didn't give."

[crying]

I said, "so don't ever

think you're not."

- My main nerve in my spine

was pinched in three places

And my hips were rotated.

I could barely walk.

I had collapsed due

to muscle spasms in my back,

Because my back was injured

during the rape.

- My title is director

of military plans

And personnel policy

for the navy.

We have specifically trained

judge advocates,

Our navy lawyers,

and our naval criminal

Investigative service.

Those investigators,

they're all specifically trained

In sexual assault.

Any report

of a sexual assault

Is fully investigated

in the United States navy.

- They didn't

take care of it.

For a year and a half,

They were

tracking down witnesses.

They had

all these students there.

And they could have

locked 'em down

And said, "hey, you're on

legal hold

Until get this statement."

and they didn't.

Hannah went through

three investigators.

It was like,

"okay, I'm given this case."

That's what

it sort of felt like.

"oh, all right,

I'm given this case.

"I gotta take care of it.

"oh, well, this is an e-1.

I really don't have the time

to deal with it."

- Females would come up

to their commanders

Or their n.C.O.S and say

that they were

Either sexually assaulted

or abused.

And I don't think

it was taken seriously.

I think a lot of times a cursory

investigation was done,

And they were basically told

to just suck it up.

- I remember bringing in

a young service member

Who had been brutally raped.

And bringing her in

to see her command.

And trying to make sure

that this young girl

Was taken care of properly.

And this idiot-

[chuckles]

This idiot chewed her out

for crying.

He told her to stop crying

over spilt milk.

- A lot of times

the credibility of the witness

Was called into account.

Had the potential victim,

had she made

Claims like this

in the past?

There was a lot

of witch-hunting going on.

- I was ordered to advise

a victim

Of her rights

for false statement

When I knew that

she wasn't lying.

I asked to bring her in

and advise her of her rights,

Like a criminal,

and interrogate her

For false statement.

Quote, unquote, "until I got

the truth out of her."

If a woman makes

a rape complaint,

There are always people

asking

What she was doing there,

what she was wearing,

Whether she had

a boyfriend or not.

- If rape cases came in,

they were never given to women.

Um, the men always took care

of those.

- Why's that?

- Because we were

too sympathetic.

- Is that what

they said to you?

- Mm-hmm.

We didn't-

We couldn't see

what was really going on,

Because we always

took the woman's side.

- I was told I should have

been a social worker.

I had no business being

in the police field.

There was a lot

of resistance there, uh-

Toward the idea that

victim's should be

Afforded some kind

of sensitivity.

It was-it was almost

a laughing matter.

- We have given

specific training

And continual training

to our n.C.I.S.,

Navy criminal

investigative service,

Those investigators,

on how best to, um,

Respond and to investigate

those crimes.

- They told me they lost

my rape kit, and my-

My nurse examiner's report,

And the pictures

from the bruisings on my-

From the bruising

on my arm.

- They lost these things?

- That's what they told me.

They had told me

that they had lost 'em.

And me being me,

I decided

To do a little digging

of my own.

And I spoke with

n.C.I.S. Headquarters

In washington d.C.

And they have

all the evidence.

- So what does this mean?

- Because the case

is already closed,

There's nothing

they can do.

[door buzzes]

- What we hear again and again

from soldiers

Who have been raped

is that as bad

As it was being raped,

what was as bad,

If not worse,

was to receive

Professional retaliation

In their chosen career

Merely because

they were raped.

- When you report something,

You better be prepared

for the repercussions.

- If a man gets accused

of rape, it's a setup.

The woman's lying.

- I could choose

to report it,

But if I wasn't,

you know-

If they found out

that what I was saying

Wasn't to be truthful,

then I would be reduced in rank.

- You could your rate.

You could lose rank.

You could lose your school

if you file a false report.

So do you wanna

file a report?

[laughs]

- Even with the rape kit

and everything,

And-and-my friend

catching him raping me,

They still don't believe me.

- I reported it two different

times to my squad leader.

And he told me that there is

nothing he can do about it,

'cause I didn't have

any proof.

- They actually did

charge me with adultery.

I wasn't married,

he was.

- They took me before

my lieutenant commander.

He says,

"you think this is funny?"

And I said,

"what do you mean?"

He's like, "is this all

a joke to you?"

I was like,

"what do you mean?"

And he goes,

"you're the third girl

"to report rape this week.

"are you guys, like,

all in cahoots?

Do you think

this is a game?"

- We are sorry, but due

to a large volume of calls,

And unusually long

wait times,

Counselors are unable to answer

your call at this time.

- Okay.

- Your name, please.

- It's kori danielle mcdonald.

- Okay.

I show that we've got

a claim open

For a non-service connected

disability pension.

Depression, t.M.J.,

unilateral disc condition,

P.T.S.D., nerve damage,

and I'm trying to-

That's gone to the arraigning

board in cleveland.

- Okay, and how long

does that usually take?

- Anywhere from

- Really?

- That's just

an estimated time frame.

- 139 days?

I mean, that's, like-

I've already been waiting,

like, waiting 14 months.

What the f***

is going on up there?

Like, what the f***

is going on with the v.A.?

Like, my sh*t is new

and it's 14 months?

I bet if were there

in person

They'd have

to do something.

[engine starts]

- Are you ready?

Say, "ready."

Do you know

where we're going?

Both:
Where we going?

- Beach.

- No, to the doctor.

Why are we going

to the doctor?

What hurts on mommy?

- Face.

- My face, that's right.

- You're gonna want

to get on 75 north.

- On 75 north?

- Yep.

This goes everywhere

with me.

And then this

goes everywhere with me.

You always have protection

with jesus,

But sometimes you need

just a little bit more.

- All right.

- I love you.

- I love you, too.

- I will.

- Be good.

- Mommy, mommy.

- Mommy'll be out

in a minute, all right?

Say bye to mama.

- Be good.

- Bye-bye.

- In doctor appointments,

I come to every one, um,

Just in case

she gets worked up.

And she's uneasy

around men already,

So, um, I have my phone

up on me.

And you know,

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