AUGUSTA - Following the report on Thursday by the Advisory Council on Military Sexual Trauma detailing its recommendations to improve responses to sexual assault and sexual harassment within the Maine National Guard, Rep. Morgan Rielly, D-Westbrook, issued the following statement:
"If we are going to work together to solve the issue of sexual assault and harassment within the Maine National Guard, we need to improve our system of data collection and reporting," said Rielly. "When we are able to fully understand the scope of the issue, we can better support survivors and address any underlying issues that might perpetuate violence within the Guard. It is my hope that this group can continue to convene well into the future, in a format that is accessible to the public, as there is still much more work to be done to establish trust and transparency."
The Advisory Council was established earlier this year in an Executive Order from Gov. Janet Mills in response to LD 625, a bill sponsored by Rielly. The council met over the course of three months to determine how the Maine National Guard can improve its response to sexual assault and sexual harassment. Its report offers 12 recommendations, including identifying reporting and prevention best practices, identifying barriers to reporting sexual trauma and exploring state resources that can help in the response and prevention of sexual trauma within the Maine National Guard.
Recognizing that further legislative action is necessary to advance some of the recommendations highlighted in the report, Rielly is working with the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Sisters in Arms on legislation for the upcoming session to address data collection and reporting issues, as well as establish a compensation fund for survivors.
Rielly is entering his second term in the Maine House of Representatives, where he has served as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs. He represents a portion of Westbrook.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Rielly], 305-965-2744