Protest in Tucson: The Hanks Family and Protect Our Defenders Call for Removal of Two Officers

The family of a sexual assault victim and Protect Our Defenders protest outside an Air Force Base in Arizona, calling for the removal of two officers and protesting the transfer of the assailant to their hometown.

Kim Hanks was assaulted by Lt. Col. Wilkerson, who was found guilty by a jury selected by the base commander. He was sentenced to a year in the jail and kicked out of the military. But that commander -- a fellow F-16 pilot, Lt. Gen. Franklin, acted against his own legal counsel's advice and overturned the conviction. And now the Air Force has transferred the assailant to continue his military career in Tucson -- the hometown of Hank's family.

Speakers:
Miranda Petersen, Protect Our Defenders Policy Advisor
Dr. Shelli Hanks, Sister-in-law of Kim Hanks
Dr. Stephen Hanks, Brother of Kim Hanks
Panayiota Bertzikis, Founder, Military Rape Crisis Center

Tell Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to dismiss Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin and Lt. Col. James Wilkerson from the United States Air Force for failing to protect our young service members and civilians who work on our bases around the world: http://action.protectourdefenders.com...

The only way to end the epidemic of sexual assault in the military is to hold leaders, like Franklin, who cover up and condone these crimes and those who commit the crimes, like Wilkerson, accountable: http://action.protectourdefenders.com...

Protect Our Defenders honors, supports, and gives voice to the brave men and women in uniform who have been raped or sexually assaulted by fellow service members. We seek to fix the military training, investigation and adjudication systems related to sexual violence, systems that often re-victimize survivors by blaming them while failing to prosecute perpetrators.