Military Mom Says She Was Brutally Raped in Iraq

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

Dawn Leamon, Who Alleges She Was Raped by Two Men, Will Tell Her Story on Capitol Hill

Yet another woman has come forward saying she was brutally raped in Iraq while working for the U.S. contractor Kellogg Brown Root (KBR).

Dawn Leamon, who has two sons on active duty, says she was raped earlier this year by a U.S. soldier and a KBR colleague.

She will tell her horrific story to members of Congress today at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Leamon says that following her rape, she spoke with a woman at the KBR Employee Assistance Program. "She discouraged me from reporting, saying, 'You know what will happen if you do,'" Leamon said.

...

KBR released the following statement to ABC News this morning. "First and foremost, KBR in no way condones or tolerates sexual harassment. Each employee is expected to adhere to the Company's Code of Business Conduct, and when violations occur, appropriate action is taken. Any reported allegation of sexual harassment or sexual assault is taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. KBR's top priority is the safety and security of all employees, and our commitment in that regard is unwavering."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4618275&page=1

[leftynyc]

1. This is real courage on display

While no woman should ever be embarassed about being raped, it's a whole other story to repeat the ordeal in front of a congressional hearing. I pray she gets the justice she deserves.

[OhioChick]

3. Agreed.

Surprised this one hasn't gotten 5 Rec's yet.

[leftynyc]

5. I never really understood that

Do I actually have to use the word recommend? If so, I highly recommend this one.

[OhioChick]

7. Apparently So.

This is definitely front-page worthy.

[timtom]

32. Actually, there's a little button under the original post

at the bottom which, if clicked, adds one more recommendation.

[leftynyc]

34. Thanks for the tip

It's a bit embarassing that after being here so long, I had no idea how that was done.

[OhioChick]

58. Oh....I Misunderstood You....

I would've told you earlier how to "recommend" threads. I thought you were wondering why the article had not received enough "recommends" to be on the front page at that time.

:hi:

[tavalon]

53. There is a recommend link at the bottom of the original post

If you press it, it gives the OP a recommend. If more than five people have pressed the recommend button, it gets on the Greatest Page with ranking according to the number of recommends. It had 69 recs until I just hit the recommend button - now it has 70.

[AlphaCentauri]

2. drugs are rolling along the troops

"Like Jamie Jones, Leamon believes she was drugged before her attack."

[leftynyc]

37. That struck me as well

How on earth are they getting their hands on date rape drugs? That there is no legal recourse for these women seems absolutely un-American - it's as if they expect this kind of thing and are being proactive in making sure these complaints never see the light of day. They are protecting rapists all the while we are "spreading democracy". Sickening.

[OwnedByFerrets]

57. Hell, murderers are being completely protected also....

in the form of blackwater employees.

[OregonBlue]

4. Her testimony was stunning. She was ignored, intimidated, threatened. She is one very brave woman!!

[leftynyc]

6. Do you know if there is a transcript somewhere?

I'd love to read it and spread it around.

[sabra]

9. some info here: (though doesn't have all the testimonies)

http://www.senate.gov/~foreign/hearings/2008/hrg080409a.html

[EFerrari]

14. Amy Goodman interviewed her yesterday. There is a transcript of that

at her site: www.democracynow.org.

She says she woke up, bleeding from her rectum and with feces in her mouth. It was the most horrible story I've ever heard.

[leftynyc]

18. I really can't believe that

she's willing to testify in front of congress and relive that horror. What incredible bravery. That nothing has been done to get justice for her and those like her is to our everlasting shame.


Thanks for the link.

[EFerrari]

19. Yesterday she said her son was the one who encouraged her

to speak up. That must be one special son.

[leftynyc]

22. Oh my

That really is a special child. She raised him right. I wish peace of mind to both of them. I'm very glad to see this on the greatest right up on top. How is this story not on the front page of every paper, first story at the top of the hour on radio and TV? How is that possible?

[EFerrari]

24. It will have to come from the net because the presstitutes won't do it.

If I put up an action thread in the morning, can I PM you for support?

I couldn't sleep last night, thinking about this. About how women are now fair game for the cronies. About how one in four military women will be sexually assaulted in some way. WHAT THE F IS THAT?

[leftynyc]

27. Oh absolutlely

Count me in. This has me shaking in anger.

[EFerrari]

29. Great. Let's do it then. I'm angry beyond the expression of anger. n/t

[leftynyc]

33. Beyond calling/emailing/writing

my congressional contingent, please let me know what else I can do.

[redqueen]

51. Oh my God...

...

[KamaAina]

61. I cannot believe I ended up reading that over lunch

damn time change. :puke:

Damn rapists and rapist enablers, too, of course. :grr: :banghead:

[EFerrari]

20. I'm afraid to listen but is this on line somewhere? Does anyone know? n/t

[leftynyc]

39. At the democracy now link above

there is a video and audio link to Amy Goodman's interview. I'll check on the other.

[DavidDvorkin]

8. This is sadly unsurprising

We raped Iraq. Contractors recruit men eager to continue the raping and to profit from it. It doesn't surprise me that they see their fellow Americans as objects to be used, just as they see Iraq and the Iraqis.

[EFerrari]

16. So far, forty women have come forward with similar stories

acording to one lady who, after going through it herself, set up a foundation. Jamie Leigh (I can't remember her last name) was also on Amy's show yesterday.

[Juan_de_la_Dem]

23. 40? Is that true?

Where can I find additional info on that.

[EFerrari]

28. This is the link to Amy's transcript. Jamie's foundation

has helped 40 women so far:

(Her name is Jamie Leigh Jones)

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/4/8/exclusivein_their_first_joint_interview_two

And I'm afraid it is true. :(

[Juan_de_la_Dem]

30. Thx, I appreciate it

[Triana]

10. The United States is GUILTY of Human Rights Abuses Against it's OWN People..

...WHO / what does that resemble?

Eh?

[crikkett]

11. everyone.

sigh.

[LiberalFighter]

12. Who was the woman at KBR that discouraged her? She needs to be villified.

[mahina]

13. What did the woman mean, "you know what will happen?"

Was she saying Dawn Leamon's sons would be hurt if she told?

What a sick culture.

[BrklynLiberal]

15. KBR and BushCO are raping this country and its people in so many ways, every single day.

Should it surprise me that the mgmnt would not pay attention to one more rape in its midst?
Rape, of one form or another is S.O.P for KBR, Cheney, Halliburton and BushCO in general.
That is why every single citizen should be so outraged by what is going on!
The theft of the elections in 2000 and 2004 were a form of rape.

Of course, their sense of entitlement would extend to the body of a woman....

[EFerrari]

17. Fuck KBR and fuck Bush/Cheney. n/t

[jeff30997]

21. Barf

It now seem it's the norm in the US military.

[leftynyc]

40. I don't believe that's true

Even if there are 40+ women making these claims, they are not all against our troops (in fact, most are against KBR and other mercenary outfits) and there are over 140,000 troops of ours over there.

[oldgrowth]

71. 29% report being raped during their military service,link

Rapists in the ranks

Sexual assaults are frequent, and frequently ignored, in the armed services.
By Jane Harman
March 31, 2008
The stories are shocking in their simplicity and brutality: A female military recruit is pinned down at knifepoint and raped repeatedly in her own barracks. Her attackers hid their faces but she identified them by their uniforms; they were her fellow soldiers. During a routine gynecological exam, a female soldier is attacked and raped by her military physician. Yet another young soldier, still adapting to life in a war zone, is raped by her commanding officer. Afraid for her standing in her unit, she feels she has nowhere to turn.

These are true stories, and, sadly, not isolated incidents. Women serving in the U.S. military are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq.

The scope of the problem was brought into acute focus for me during a visit to the West Los Angeles VA Healthcare Center, where I met with female veterans and their doctors. My jaw dropped when the doctors told me that 41% of female veterans seen at the clinic say they were victims of sexual assault while in the military, and 29% report being raped during their military service. They spoke of their continued terror, feelings of helplessness and the downward spirals many of their lives have since taken.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-harman31mar31,0,5399612.story

[BlooInBloo]

25. Sigh.

[fshrink]

26. This whole Iraq shit is testosterone-driven anyways.

[defendandprotect]

69. Right . . . there's something really wrong with these people ---

Is this trying to prove something?
How less than human you can be?

Someone does turn out to do the torturing for these people --
Someone does turn out to do harm to females in the military ---

And someone always steps in to help cover it up ---

This brutality towards women is still being taught --
and RAPE is still a tool of war --

and a war crime ---

[ptolle]

79. mchenry

I'm starting to think representative McHenry might have been right when he referred to that mercenary in the green zone as a "two-bit security guard", although that might be denigrating to actual security guards.I'd like to see the whole contract system fully investigated just before it's taken down and the management of Blackwater, Halliburton, and KBR shipped off to gitmo.

[EFerrari]

31. Kick

[Eric Condon]

35. "KBR in no way condones or tolerates sexual harassment."

Newsflash, assholes: this is more than just "sexual harassment." This is an inexcusable violent crime and the people who committed it need to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Referring to this as "sexual harassment" is insulting, as it conflates this with something that could theoretically be as minor as just making lewd jokes.

This is a fucking disgrace, and it's a real testament to this administration that I wasn't the least bit surprised when I read it. An hour from now, we'll get yet another news report about yet another unfathomable evil being perpetrated by Bu$hCo and their similarly hell-bound cronies.

I can't believe we live in a world where this innocent woman has her dignity violated in such a horrific manner, and yet miserable scum like Cheney get to traipse through their lives without a care in the world, fishing off yachts, making zillions of dollars at the expense of people's unrewarded labor, dignity, and even mortal lives.

One day. One day, you pieces of shit will get yours. And the decent people of this country can't fucking wait to see it.

[redqueen]

52. Well said.

*sigh*

[Canuckistanian]

60. Right you are. This was ASSAULT, much worse than "harassment"

Nice touch about Cheney. I agree, he'll get his, one way or another.

[Lorien]

65. Well said. But it's a sickening truth that many truly evil people in the

world NEVER "get theirs". That's one of the reasons that I have trouble believing in a divine power that watches over all of us.

[Eric Condon]

66. It's the reason why I try my hardest to believe there is one.

If nothing else, I have to believe there's a hell for these people. In a perfect world, it'll be a lot like the hell in Little Nicky - we all know how that worked out for Hitler.

[myrna minx]

74. Thank you for this.

:-(

[JerseygirlCT]

36. Yeah, I want to know exactly what that "appropriate action" consists of

Slaps on the wrist?

Unless we're talking serious jail time - 30 years or more - then we're not even close to appropriate.

Probably they'll claim all sorts of immunity - being in Iraq and all.

Pigs.

[FreepFryer]

38. To KBR, "Appropriate Action" was HR threatening the woman if she reported her drugging and rape.

When are we going to oust these criminal mercenaries already?

And how are we ever going to recover from the billions of Americans' tax dollars they pilfered thru no-bid nepotism?

[mcollier]

42. Too much profit

in this war for companies reaping the benifit to want it to end... Whose got the power? Corporations. There you have it....

[FreepFryer]

44. Repeal Corporate Personhood and enforce punitive tariffs for abusive offshore corporations. (n/t)

[mikita]

41. kicked and rec'd

oh god what we won't do to each other....

[Catherine Vincent]

43. WTF?

:cry:

[Kurovski]

45. K&R. (nt)

[flashl]

46. E-mail earlier this year from Suki Falconberg Ph.D.

THE RAPE OF IRAQ AND OTHER SEXUAL MATTERS

By Suki Falconberg Ph.D.

I just e-mailed the following paragraph to Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Refugees International, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Iraq Veterans Against the War, and two women journalists at CBS news, Katie Couric and Lara Logan (foreign correspondent in Iraq):

I would like to know more about the sexual assault on women in Iraq: rapes by American and coalition forces; rapes by the Iraqi police and military; rapes by Iraqi civilian men; rapes of women and girls detained in prisons; gang rapes; women forced into starvation prostitution—either for the occupying forces or for Iraqis; the increase of brothels in Baghdad and Basra as a result of the occupation; the trafficking of women and girls into prostitution by criminal gangs, either within Iraq or in surrounding countries; the way families are forced to sell daughters for survival; any ´survival sex´ women and girls are engaged in due to desperation; ´survival sex´ forced upon the refugee population (2 million in Iraq--2 million in surrounding countries); the trafficking, by U.S. military contractors, of Filipina and Chinese girls into brothels in the Green Zone; the role of the U.S. Military Police in the pimping of Iraqi women and girls; the physical and psychological state of the prostituted Iraqi girls trafficked into the Green Zone for paid rape; the rape of female military personnel by their own men—and anything else you may have seen going on in Iraq.

[anitar1]

49. Because it has become the American way. It happens everyday in

this country. and unless you have forgotten, the military has been taking men with criminal backgrounds and gang backgrounds. Remember the gang graffiti in Baghdad , which was reported 4 or 5 months ago? Also some of the troops are bad people.

[brer cat]

47. Thanks for posting this, Sabra.

I regret that I can only give one recommendation. This needs wide distribution.

[pberq]

48. Kick & Nominated

[Norrin Radd]

50. KBR is an enemy of the state.

[katty]

54. great courage to do this - beyond horrid and disgusting

[SunDrop23]

55. It's unfortunate what the right wing is going to do to her. (n/t)

[indepat]

56. KBR: yada, yada, yada, yada

:grr:

[Judi Lynn]

59. Two More Women Tell Congress About Rape in Iraq

Two More Women Tell Congress About Rape in Iraq
Claim Attacks While Working for U.S. Contractor
By VIJA UDENANS
April 9, 2008

Two women told a Senate subcommittee today they were raped, assaulted and harassed while working in Iraq for the U.S.-based contractor KBR -- though no criminal charges have been brought in either case.

The testimony was explicit, graphic in detail and emotional. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., elicited their stories with gentle questions.
(snip)

She said that her screams for help went unheeded by the pump operator nearby "who did not care to know what was going on."

She added that no one responded to her cries for help over the radio issued for her personal safety.

"I'm yelling and screaming on the radio over and over again for my supervisors or somebody to answer," she said, "and nobody would answer the radio."

When she returned to the base camp she said her supervisors were not in any rush to help.

More:
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4623038&page=1

[ihavenobias]

62. K & R

[mcollier]

63. Sad State of Affairs

The fact that there was no welcome that we had to begin with to be worn out, begs the question, Why are we still there? How is 500,000 trained Iraqi soldiers not enough to handle security in that little country. This is beyond embarrassment... Man are we being "Taken"...without petroleum... And Man Doesn't It Hurt!

Time for us to take more ownership of the US government. Start by voting, not by party line, but by the candidate communicating right message, vision, wisdom, intellect, judgment, the canditate who is commitment to helping every American. We can all be a part of strengthening America and charting a new course.


Vote for Barack Obama, Find out how you can join the movement.

[file83]

64. "Each employee is expected to adhere to the Company's Code of Business Conduct..."

*ahem*

Don't they mean, "Each employee is expected to act like a DECENT HUMAN BEING and a LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, not some lunatic neanderthal RAPIST!!!!"

Seriously, "Company's Code of Business Conduct"? What the FUCKING HELL do the company's codes have ANYTHING to do with RAPING WOMEN?!?

This is shear insanity.

[D23MIURG23]

67. Halliburton is a cancer.

[Raster]

76. yes, and the one person responsible for its gross metastizing is...

dick cheney*...whose halliburton stock options are now worth 3281% more than they were when he resigned to run as Vice President. 3281%. This is NOT a typo. 3281%.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Cheneys_stock_options_rose_3281_last_1011.html

[Baby Snooks]

68. But they are above the law..

I've experienced this as a stalking victim - some people are just above the law in our country. There will be hearings, protests, condemnations. And in the end, no one will do a damn thing about it. Because KBR and Halliburton are above the law. The "rich and powerful" used to be referred to as "sacred cows" and district attorneys as well as US Attorneys just looked the other way when they did something. And with rare exception, still do. And believe me, there are just as many Democrats as there are Republicans in the "sacred pasture" although of course Democrats don't like to hear that any more than Republicans do.

Our country is drowning in the shit of all the sacred cows.

[defendandprotect]

70. Recommend ---and -- 40 women so far ---

One day, I hope, these women will have some degree of justice ---
What courageous women--

And what cowardly, disturbed males --
They won't forget this either --- they'll live with this the rest of their lives.
Sickening ---

[happygoluckytoyou]

72. yeah..... stop that sexual harassment... and that RAPE stuff too

.... come on.... we discourage that stuff... knock it off...

[MrSlayer]

73. Men, at war with no "comfort women" around, are going to rape.

It's the way it's been for thousands of years. It's dispicable but there you have it. It's just more savagery that can be placed on the account of the neo-cons and their enablers.

[Name removed]

75. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ChickMagic]

77. So it's her fault Pappy?

Really? It was stupid of her to think that her
fellow Americans were honorable and just?

Feh. :grr:

[nam78_two]

78. What a horrible story-K&R.nt

[newspeak]

81. so this is where our hard earned money is going?

KBR was exposed in Bosnia-some of its employees were taking young women's passports and forcing them into prostitution. And, after it was exposed, who gets the contract for Iraq? KBR-----something smells vile--if corporations want to cite personhood, then those at the top and those that committed the crime, can do the time. Why are we paying them????? Fekkin ruthless, greedy war profiteers. :mad:

[rasputin1952]

80. No one should ever have face what this woman faced...

The apparent cover-up, (by "losing" the evidence), is just as troublesome.

The perpetrators of this crime, should be tried, and if convicted, should spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

Those that attempted the cover-up should be charged w/obstruction an investigation, and since one cannot delegate responsibility, those that were in charge of the perpetrators should be fired and barred from employment in anything the government sponsors or has a monetary stake in.

People who partake in such things are the lowest of the low, and should be treated as such by society.