Reported rapes across military rare, but retaliation Tampa airman received not

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tampa Sr. Airman Chelsea Woodard has faced a nightmare on many levels, but data from the Department of Defense suggests her claims are sadly similar to thousands of other victims of military sexual assault.

Only hours after enjoying her 27th birthday celebration on Osan Air Base in South Korea, Woodard said she was followed by another airman she did not know.

She alleges he later trapped her in a room and raped her.

“I said no,” Woodard said. “I remember crying, balling up on the floor.”

Reporting the crime brought another level of trauma.

“The people that you think are going to be your leaders are immediately attacking you,” Woodard said. “Immediately, they’re questioning you. As soon as I report the sexual assault, I get paperwork saying that I’m terrible. I’m put on the most undesirable shift.”

Woodard was forced to go through three military psychological examinations. The first two claimed she was mentally ill and should be kicked out of the Air Force.

Two private sector exams indicated she had PTSD connected to the assault.

The military was not satisfied until another report by a military clinician determined Woodard had PTSD following the rape.

Woodard’s attorney Lindsey Knapp specializes in military sexual assault cases.

“It felt like there was finally justice,” Knapp said. “Somebody finally looked at her and believed her.”

Knapp said the Department of Defense’s own data underscores the problem.

76% percent of military sexual assault cases go unreported, according to the statistics. 64% of the victims who reported crimes said they faced retaliation. 66% of them claim the retaliation came from their chain of command.

“They have created a system to where perpetrators are not held accountable for committing a sexual assault,” Knapp said. “But worse than that, commanders are not held accountable when they obstruct justice by sweeping this under the rug.”

Woodard and Knapp said the issues continued at other bases she was transferred to after Osan.

“So much retaliation,” Woodard said. “Even at MacDill.”

Woodard claims she was reprimanded twice by MacDill command staff about social media posts about the assault.

MacDill’s Deputy Chief of Public Affairs Terry Montrose said privacy rules restrict him from discussing speciifics, but he denied Woodard’s allegation.

“No commander at MacDill Air Force Base reprimanded or otherwise disciplined Sr. Airman Woodard for speaking out publicly about her allegations of sexual assault,” Montrose said in a statement.

Woodard insisted otherwise.

“Had I not mentioned anything about sexual assault. Had I not talked about the McDill team here, there’s no way I would’ve gotten reprimanded,” Woodard said.

The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General is investigating Woodard’s claims and the process, according to Knapp.

“I need these leaders to be held accountable and I need the retaliation against Chelsey to be stopped,” Knapp said. “The only way to stop this type of crime is accountability. Accountability for the [command staff] and accountabiity for the perpetrators.”

Woodard said she has made her story public for awareness.

“This is why I’m putting this out here because people need to know, they’re not alone,” she said.

Source: WFLA