It has been a few months since I have written a blog for GlobalGrind due to a few factors including writers block and a frustration with "the system."  There's a not-so-new story that's back in the media with little progress, and not enough attention. It has struck a cord with me and had my writing juices flowing today.   The story is about a 23-year-old girl, whom at the age of 19 was contracted by KBR (a subsidiary of Halliburton) to go to Baghdad as an administrative assistant. While in Baghdad she was drugged and gang-raped vaginally and anally. She awoke naked with blood running down her legs, lacerations in her vagina and anus, bruised wrists, and inner thighs. Her breast implants ruptured and her pectoral muscles torn requiring her later to have reconstructive surgery. She was able to get medical attention from the U.S. Army, and not KBR medical, where physician Jodi Schultz examined and collected evidence for the rape kit. Schutlz was ordered the rape kit to KBR/Halliburton security forces, after which the rape kit disappeared.  It was recovered 2 years later with crucial photographs, evidence, and notes missing.

In an apparent attempt to cover up the incident, the company then put her in a shipping container for at least 24 hrs without food or water and warned her that "if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she'd be out of a job."  Finally, a sympathetic guard lent her his cell phone so that she could call her father, who in turn contacted Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) who contacted the State Department to send agents from the U.S. embassy in Baghdad to remove Jones from KBR custody.

Once returning to the U.S., Mrs. Jones discovered that was just the beginning of her turmoil.  A clause in her KBR contract states that any incidents that occurs in the "workplace" would warrant her claims to be heard in only in private mandatory arbitration's - without jury, judge, public record, or transcript of the proceedings. And adding insult to injury, KBR picks the arbitrators who obviously are working for the company and not the victim. During 15 months of arbitration, and 4 years now attempting to get her day in court KBR has done everything to fight her claim, going as far as telling the Houston Chronicle in a December 14th 2007 article that "...one of the men accused in the rape said the woman consented to have sex with him." Bill Utt KBR Chairman, President and CEO also released a statement, "While the allegations raised by Mrs. Jones are serious, after a review of the case KBR noted inaccuracies in the accounts of the incident in question, and disputes portions of Mrs. Jones' version of the facts."  Appealing attempts to take them to court, KBR's arbitration lawyer Mark De Bernardo argued that "the net results of arbitration is better work places."  WOW! Really?? I beg to differ.  Since her incident, Mrs. Jones has started a foundation advocating for victims of sexual assault.  A number of women started coming forth with their stories of rape while under the umbrella of private contractors including ex KBR contractors. All of whom where forced to be silent due to private mandatory arbitration's. Maybe if they were able to have had their day in court, this wouldn't have been repeated or happened to Mrs. Jones.

Ex-SNL alumni and now Senator of Minnesota Al Franken decided his first amendment since winning office would be an anti-rape amendment. The amendment basically says that defense contractors, hired by the U.S, must allow their employees that get sexually assaulted or raped access to U.S courts and cannot subject them to mandatory private secretive arbitration's or  the U.S will deny contracts. I know that Democrats and Republicans don't always agree on all the issues, but this seemed pretty common sense across the board.  I cannot think of a reason why one would vote against women safety.  Oh wait! Here is one, if your white and a Republican. All thirty male Republican Senators voted against the bill. That's right, white male Republicans are pro rape.  And that's not even the worst ally in the opposition to the amendment.  The Department of Defense, Obama's DoD, sent a message to the Senate from the administration the day the amendment passed stating "The DoD Opposes the proposed amendment..." (the rest of the statement is jumble of words that don't make sense) Although, the White House released a statement in favor of the amendment, Obama has made no attempt to enforce that view onto his own Department of Defense.  I don't expect any sort of sympathy, honesty, or integrity from the Department of Defense. All their ex-employees and officials go to work for private contractors when they finish working on Capital Hill. It's one vicious circle of related criminals. I scratch your back with defense contracts, and you hire me when I'm out for a ridiculous sum of money.  I DO expect Obama to ' control his bitches' per say.  When ambushed by the political blogger Mike Stark about why they voted against the amendment, this is what some of the Senators said in defense :

Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) - "If that happens, these employees' only recourse will be to litigate suits in court, which is a very lengthy, expensive and time-consuming process."  Apparently Senator Chambliss thinks sweeping rape under the rug is the better alternative.

Senator Thad Cochrane (R-Miss.) - "Rape victims deserve their day in court, but its not the governments place to dictate the terms of employment contracts."   What? Yes it is, idiot.  The government can absofuckinglutely dictate terms of contracts of who the government does business with.

Senator John Thune (R-S.D) - "I might have supported the amendment if it had been narrowed to cover rape rather than extended to cover other sexual-related abuses." Senator Thune is against rape, but any other sexual assault is okey dokey!

It's an interesting argument they have made over why they voted nay, especially since these same 30 republicans have thrown temper tantrums over the acorn scandal. I.E.:

Senator  Richard Shelby (R-AL) - "We gotta get corruption out of any organization that takes tax payer money. Acorn in not above the law."

Senator  Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) -"It's unsustainable for any member of congress to justify continued funding of this organization."

I think John Stewart worded it best last week on the Daily Show when he said, "I guess it's an efficiency thing. You don't want to waste tax-payer money giving it to someone who advises fake prostitutes how to commit imaginary crimes, you want to give it to Halliburton because they're committing real gang rape."

A mock satire website Republicansforrape.org has erected listing all 30 senators, and if you scroll over their name, their phone numbers pop-up. Feel free to call and let them know whether your pro or anti rape. The Rape-Belt map looks very similar to the Racist-Belt map.