In her first interview, former Lt. Jennifer Dyer tells 60 Minutes that she was treated like a criminal by the Army after accusing a fellow officer of rape.
Posted on 02/18/2005 1:51:50 PM PST by 68skylark
(CBS) The words "zero tolerance" used by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to describe the military's policy on sexual assault ring hollow in the ears of former Lt. Jennifer Dyer.
In her first interview, Dyer tells Correspondent Steve Kroft that she was treated like a criminal by the Army after accusing a fellow officer of rape.
Dyer's interview will be broadcast on 60 Minutes, Sunday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
"[The Army has] done nothing but lie to me and treat me like a criminal," says Dyer, now out of the Army, which granted her request for an honorable discharge after she spoke to 60 Minutes.
"I don't believe [the zero tolerance policy]. Zero tolerance would mean that I would not have been treated the way I've been treated."
Dyer says she reported the rape "within 10 to 15 minutes," and after emergency medical treatment, was then sequestered for three days without access to a telephone.
Instead of offering her counseling, Dyer said military investigators doubted her charges and her command seemed indifferent to them. Dyer was granted two weeks convalescent leave and told to report back to Camp Shelby in Mississippi.
"I was told that if I didn't return on time, they would send MPs to my door and have me arrested," she tells Kroft. "They stated that two weeks was enough time to recover from such an incident."
But Camp Shelby is where the rape allegedly occurred and the alleged perpetrator still resided. Dyer went absent without leave for two months rather than return to the base.
"I was fearful of my health and safety and sanity," says Dyer, a law enforcement officer in civilian life.
The incident occurred last August while Dyer, an eight-year veteran of the New Jersey National Guard, was on active duty at Camp Shelby. She says another lieutenant raped her after a night of drinking at the base's officers club. The accused officer, who is being court-martialed for rape, maintains the sex was consensual.
Dyer says, "I don't feel it's possible to misinterpret 'No, don't do this,' or 'stop.' Those are the words that I used again and again."
The Pentagon declined to be interviewed by 60 Minutes, but announced last month, under pressure from Congress, new sweeping policy changes regarding sexual assault.
Among them: mandatory education on sexual assault for all armed service members; a victim advocate for every military command; confidentiality for rape victims until formal investigation begins; and a general who will oversee the entire process.
In her first interview, former Lt. Jennifer Dyer tells 60 Minutes that she was treated like a criminal by the Army after accusing a fellow officer of rape.
Precisely what Bob was talking about.
This is certainly a terrible crime. I've got to say I'm a little sorry that CBS chooses to run with such negative stories, while they never shine any light on the good things the military does.
How about shedding a lttle light on UN sponsored rapes of children?
They told her to report back in 2 weeks but she stayed away for 2 months and was not arrested or charged as being AWOL?
Might be interesting to hear the other side of the story.
You know what?
It's too bad that CBS has ruined its credibility to the point where no one is going to watch this.
That's a good comment. I don't have any problem with this either -- I just wish they'd also show some of the good side of the military some time.
We had a Medal of Honor recently announced, for example -- in the real world outside of Manhattan, that's a tremendous story that a lot of people would like to see. But it'll never be on CBS.
Im fine with them running it to but I wonder if they are going to prosecute her for desertion. The military still has a problem with thin skinned women yelling rape and sexual harassment too.
And Broderrick and Flowers and.......
The next goal they are striving for is to have women on submarines which debark for cruises up through three months with bunk sharing.
Weird thinking.
Of course, it is possible that she may be lying. I have seen it all too often. It would be nice to hear both sides.
CBS 60 Minutes. Not a credible news source.
It's on 60 Minutes so it must be true.
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