In his commencement speech at the United States Naval Academy, President Obama encouraged graduates to join efforts to fight sexual assault.
“Those who commit sexual assault are not only committing a crime, they threaten the trust and discipline that makes our military strong,” he said. “That’s why we have to be determined to stop these crimes.”
A string of sexual assault allegations against officers around the country and a recent Defense Department report that detailed rampant assault and harassment have forced Obama, military leaders, and legislators into action. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel will deliver the commencement address at West Point Military Academy on Saturday. A staff member there has been accused of secretly videotaping female cadets while in the shower.
Meredith Clark
Meredith Clark is a freelance writer and editor. She was previously a senior news producer for "Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj," a reporter with MSNBC.com, the digital politics and culture editor at Glamour and a senior news and politics editor at Refinery29. She has written for Vulture, Rolling Stone, Self, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast and Bustle.