This week, October 12-16, marks Military Rape Awareness Week. Yesterday, to kick off a national campaign to educate the public about a new Department of Defense study that says 1 in 3 women in the military are raped, Staff. Sgt. Sandra Lee came forward for the first time to announce to the public that she had been raped twice while deployed to Iraq.

Members of Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans against the War, Granny Peace Brigade, Codepink: Women for Peace, World Can't Wait, Artists Response Team and We will not be Silent warned potential women recruits at the Armed Forces Recruiting Station in Times Square about the alarming rates of sexual assault and rape of women in the military.

Much props to Staff Sgt. Lee for her courage in coming forward and breaking the silence. For more information about Military Rape Awareness Week and these startling statistics about the risk of sexual assault in the military, go to the Veterans For Peace website here.