President Joe Biden Signs Executive Order to Strengthen How Military Handles Sexual Assault Cases

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday to implement reforms passed by Congress that will significantly strengthen how the military handles sexual assault cases. The order changes the Uniform Code of Military Justice and transfers the decision to prosecute certain major crimes, including sexual assault, out of the chain of command and assigns them to independent military attorneys.

The executive order comes after years of pressure from members of Congress and victims’ advocates to take commanders out of prosecutorial decisions for major crimes, especially in cases of sexual assault. Advocates have argued that commanders may have a bias in whether a case goes forward.

The White House said in a release that the executive order will ensure that decisions about whether to prosecute major crimes are made by trained military prosecutors who are independent of the chain of command. It also said the order will ensure that victims are provided with legal counsel and that victims and witnesses are protected from retaliation.

The order also requires the military to provide training to all personnel on the new system and to review and update policies and procedures to ensure that victims are treated with dignity and respect.

The executive order is a major step forward in the effort to ensure that victims of sexual assault in the military are provided with justice and that perpetrators are held accountable. It is also a sign of the Biden administration’s commitment to protecting the rights of victims of sexual assault and other major crimes in the military.