WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Personnel, held a hearing to receive testimony on domestic violence and child abuse in the military.
“Domestic violence and child abuse are significant problems that cause immense harm to our society and within our military services,” said Senator Tillis. “We must do more work to address the many factors – relationship, community, and societal factors – that may lead to domestic violence and child abuse. We must also develop evidence-based prevention strategies and implement comprehensive support programs to help victims.”
“While the data show that the military’s domestic violence and child abuse incidence rates are lower than comparable rates in civilian communities, I am deeply disturbed that both intimate partners and children die every year at the hands of military service members,” Senator Tillis continued. “The DOD and the military services must not rest until they totally eliminate violence and abuse of intimate partners and children within their ranks. I will continue to work with my colleagues in this subcommittee to provide whatever additional resources the DOD and the services need to strengthen its programs of prevention and victim support.”
The subcommittee members heard testimony from two panels that included the following witnesses:
Panel 1 — Advocates for Ending and Survivors of Domestic Abuse:
Ms. Adrian Perry – Parent of Child Abuse Survivor
Ms. Merci McKinley – Domestic Violence Survivor
Ms. Iris Vega – Domestic Violence Court Advocate, Doorways For Women And Families
Panel 2 — Government Witnesses and Experts:
Ms. Stephanie Barna – Senior Policy Advisor, Under Secretary Of Defense, Personnel And Readiness
Dr. Casey T. Taft – Professor Of Psychiatry, Boston University School Of Medicine
Dr. Jacquelyn C. Campbell, RN, FAAN – Professor, Anna D. Wolf Chair, Johns Hopkins School Of Nursing
Dr. Kenneth A. Dodge – Professor, Sanford School Of Public Policy, Duke University
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