Human Rights Commission Recommends Emergency Relief Measures to Minister of National Defense: "Protect Sexual Violence Victims"

First Emergency Relief Measure Since Launch of Military Human Rights Protection Agency
"Sexual Violence Victims Investigated as Suspects Likely to Continue Suffering Human Rights Violations"

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] The National Human Rights Commission of Korea has decided to recommend emergency relief measures to prevent secondary harm in the sexual harassment case that occurred at the Air Force 15th Special Mission Wing (15th SMW).

On the 18th, the Human Rights Commission announced that it held the 26th Emergency Standing Committee meeting the day before and decided to recommend "emergency relief measures" for the emergency relief case requesting prevention of secondary harm against the female Air Force sexual violence victim. This measure is the first emergency relief decision made since the establishment of the Military Human Rights Protection Officer organization at the Human Rights Commission on the 1st of last month.

The Human Rights Commission recommended that the Minister of National Defense strictly command and supervise to prevent secondary harm during the handling process of victim A’s case, and recommended the Air Force Prosecutor General to temporarily suspend further investigation and prosecution decisions regarding the charges of trespassing and work avoidance injury against A until the Human Rights Commission makes a decision on the complaint case.

Earlier, on the 10th, the civic group "Military Human Rights Center’s Military Sexual Violence Counseling Office" applied for emergency relief to the Human Rights Commission and filed a complaint with the Military Human Rights Protection Officer, expressing concerns about secondary harm related to this case.

Victim A was repeatedly sexually assaulted over several months earlier this year by B Warrant Officer (44), a superior in the same department. Afterwards, A reported the incident, and B Warrant Officer was detained in April. However, the day after the detention, C Sergeant from the same department as B reported that they had suffered sexual violence and other harm from A and B. As a result, victim A suddenly became a suspect and came under investigation by the military prosecution.

The Human Rights Commission judged that A is suffering secondary harm in this matter. The Commission stated, "There is a significant likelihood that victim A continues to suffer human rights violations due to secondary harm, including being coerced and threatened by the perpetrator, being investigated as a suspect in another case, and being pressured." It added, "For a sexual violence victim to be investigated as a suspect in another case involving the perpetrator strongly constitutes secondary harm that causes severe mental damage." Furthermore, "Currently, A is expressing extreme mental distress to the point of contemplating suicide, raising concerns that irreparable harm may occur to the victim."

Additionally, the Human Rights Commission emphasized, "If A is prosecuted as a suspect in another case after reporting the sexual violence incident, this fact will be notified to the unit where A is currently serving. As a result, the fact that A is a victim of sexual violence in the first case will also be exposed, potentially causing irreparable harm."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.