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Rape Attitudes and the US Senate: We Have a Long Way to Go, Baby
By Liza Cooper | October 15, 2009
Gang rape is OK when Halliburton employees commit it. That’s the takeaway message from the 30 Republican senators who voted against an amendment to prohibit the Pentagon from contracting with firms that force women employees to agree not to sue companies if they are raped as a result of their employment.
Their rationale? The Government shouldn’t be writing the contracts of private companies–even when those companies are contractors of the US government receiving taxpayer money.
If you are not familiar with the story, a 19 year old Halliburton employee was gang raped, then forced into a locker when she attempted to report the crime. When she finally returned to the US she went public amd tried to sue her employer. Halliburton defended itself by pointing to a clause in its employment contract denying employees recourse in the judicial system.
Thankfully, the amendment passed. In the words of John Stewart “isn’t that a no-brainer?”
Kudos to the brave woman for standing up. That anyone could defend such a state of affairs is appalling, and a statement of how far we have yet to go.
Topics: Current Events, rape | No Comments »