Halliburton/KRB - Rape Consent Form?

Jamie Leigh Jones was gang-raped by her co-workers at Halliburton/KBR co-workers in Iraq. (Her testimony can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh4XRdtqWCY&feature=video_response)


In order to prevent her from reporting the attack, she was locked in a shipping container for more than a day. The evidence collected in the rape kit by Halliburton/KBR security was subsequently "lost." She was told she could go home for medical treatment, but not to count on having a job anywhere with the company when she came back. The rape occurred outside of U.S. criminal jurisdiction and so she wanted to sue KBR for the environment that allowed permitted the crime and then covered it up. However, she couldn't because her employment contracts with this company prohibit employees from suing for sexual assault. They can only have a hearing in private binding arbitration--a private forum in which the arbitrator would be hired by Halliburton, the proceedings kept secret, and allowing no right to appeal the outcome.

This year, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) proposed an amendment that would prohibit contractors using Government funds from asking employees to sign a contract giving up the right to sue. It passed with a majority of votes, but not quite as many as you might think. All Democrats voted yes, all female GOP senators and a few male GOP senators voted yes. 30 male GOP senators voted no. John Stewart, talking on his show about this part of the contract, referred to it as a "rape consent form" which it pretty much is. Here are the 39 Senators who voted against--I was ashamed to see one of my Senators on the list.

Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)

(From The Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/15/jon-stewart-takes-on-30-r_n_321985.html )

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• rape
• halliburton
• KBR
• jamie_leigh_jones
• iraq
• jon_stewart

[TimJMorrison]

Protip : don't put yourself in this situation.

Is it moral? No.

Is it legal? Yes.

If you are naive you will get fucked up in a million different ways no matter where you are.

[alisoninrome]

What situation would that be? Working overseas for a U.S. company? So it is the victim's fault?

[pitherra]

Stupid Mccain, Thank God, he's not our president of the USA Today!

[alisoninrome]

amen!

[neumann57]

There is NO CONTRACT that can ever supercede basic human rights!!! This would NEVER hold up in a Supreme Court trial. Corporations WILL ALWAYS be responsible for their employees in a work environment.

Don't invade Pakistan....INVADE HALIBURTON!!!

And I'd expect nothing less from senators from SC. Their track record speaks for itself.

Absolutely DISGUSTING!!!

[AtlasObjectivist]

So full of shit. Absolutely pathetic. It has been proven - there was no rape. It was all a liberal fantasy to attack the Bush administration.

[basejumperful]

The same people tell you we're in Afghanistan to help the woman against the backwards taliban and then, they do something that makes you think they have the same views towards women.

[SunnySide247]

I hope these congressmen's wives and daughters are gangraped.

[HaleLand3]

Flawed arbitration's cheaper, less 'broken'/manipulated than court. Consider overseas US crime logistics, govt-contract/taxpayers as court-award, h/kbr's reputation. Why did a gorgeous nubile blonde 20 year old seek work with THEM, THERE, THEN? Hi pay, fast tuition, adventure, job prestige, perks/promises? Recruiting officers prep 'serve my country' inductees more! Hand-over-fist money and flashpoint poli-socio-economic tension wasn't covered by h/kbr, neither should it be. Bad all around!

[KeeperOfTheWord]

How interesting! Contracts now override criminal law. Or does count only when Halliburton/KBR does it? Perhaps aforesaid criminal organization deems itself above the law. Or maybe it is the law.

This is heinous on just so many levels!

[Katfellow]

Creepy stuff.

Good video