US vets file abuse lawsuit against military. When Myla Haider served as a sergeant in the US Army, she planned to be a career service member.
But in 2002, Haider says she was raped--an event that would change her life forever.
At the time, Haider was working for the Criminal Investigative Division--the military unit assigned to investigate crimes including rape and assault.
Haider is part of a group of women and men who have come forward with their individual stories of sexual assault in the military and are filing a lawsuit against the federal government.
The case involving more than a dozen plaintiffs was filed this week. These women and men came forward to call attention to their case and to empower others who may be in similar situations.
Coast Guard veteran Kori Cioca said she was silenced when she tried to speak out and still lives with the trauma of being abused by people she trusted.
In other cases, one woman claims her attack was videotaped. Another woman said she feared for her life. Others have struggled to move on and find normalcy.
The lawsuit names US defense secretary Robert Gates and predecessor, Donald Rumsfeld. It calls for an objective third party to handle sexual assault complaints.
A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on the lawsuit. The court case could take several months, perhaps years before it goes to trial.
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