Protect and Served and Raped

I was serving in the U.S. Air Force and deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom. At the time I had no inclination I was in danger and I never thought in a million years that it was someone I knew. I was sexually assaulted and raped by my superior (boss), 1SG. I remember a male witness stood a ways from the tent, who at no point intervened to help me as I was pulled into the tent, thrown to the ground and had my face repeatedly slammed into the floor. He took out his gerber knife, cut my pants and my belt, also cutting my back and sodomized me. I screamed for him to stop, I screamed for help but he grabbed my mouth. I bit him and he slammed my head, rolled me over and slammed my head more till I blacked out. I woke up and saw him on top of me, finishing and the combination of my adrenaline and combat training kicked in. I fought him off of me and ran from the tent to get help at the Medic tent.

Immediately after the incident I went to the Med tent to get a rape kit and while I was waiting Military Police arrived to escort me to my Commanders office. Upon arrival to the Commanders office my rapist was there and the Commander wrote me up for assaulting an NCO (non commissioned officer) even though I had abrasions on my neck and a bleeding left arm from where he cut me as well as cuts on my lower back. and bleeding down my legs I was threatened that if I didn’t sign the LOR (Letter of Reprimand) that I would be brought up on charges and kicked out of the Military. I was terrified that by not signing the paper work, the worst that had happened would happen again. I feared for my safety especially when the Commander had the power to have me removed from a medical facility by police.

Afterward I was involuntarily extended on my deployment. Everyone that I arrived with left before me to include my rapist. Upon returning from my deployment I was informed that I am now to report to my rapist for duty. He was to be my new supervisor. I pleaded with the commands 1Sgt, the Commander and I even went to the base Chaplain to intervene on my behalf. Nothing was done. No one helped me. I had to work directly for my rapist for almost a year. It has been over 10 years since this happened which means I will never get justice for what he did to me and I am still traumatized but with the VA’s exposure therapy for PTSD, support from family and friends I am able to slowly heal. What helped me the most at the beginning was helping other victims and I continue to advocate for change in the Military’s way of covering up rape and sexual assault.

Thank you for doing this film, this helped me and many survive.