Ken Klippenstein, an investigative reporter for The Intercept, discussed the dynamics of consent in the military during an interview Thursday.
Klippenstein joined Hill.TV’s “Rising” to discuss his reporting about allegations that a female soldier was assaulted by 22 service members at an Army training post in Fort Sill, Okla.
Maj. Gen. Ken Kamper, head of the Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill, told reporters last week that an investigation has been launched into the allegations.
Klippenstein said video of the incident reported by The Intercept shows that some of the service members who allegedly assaulted the soldier were drill sergeants.
“A context to this story that people don’t understand is that when you have a chain of command, you can’t meaningfully consent to a superior,” Klippenstein said.
“And this is something that the [Department of Defense] understands and in recent times has sort of codified in its bylaws and its policies, is that there can’t really be a meaningful freedom to be in a relationship with someone when you have chain of command where they have direct authority over you.”
Watch part of the interview above
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