Readout of the National Security Council and Gender Policy Council's Virtual Roundtable on Military Justice Reform & Domestic Violence

On October 25, 2023, Jennifer Klein, Assistant to the President and Director of the Gender Policy Council, and Cara Abercrombie, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the National Security Council, hosted a virtual roundtable on domestic violence in the military in recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. In discussion with experts from the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and victim advocates working with civilian and military survivors, the White House highlighted the ways in which new reforms to the military justice system will impact survivors of domestic violence in the military. Recognizing that domestic abuse and all forms of gender-based violence take a great toll on individuals, are fundamentally incompatible with military values, and degrade mission readiness, President Biden has prioritized military justice reform since Day One of the Administration, and in June, President Biden signed an Executive Order implementing historic, bipartisan reforms that significantly strengthen how the military handles sexual assault, domestic violence, murder, and other serious offenses. The Executive Order transferred key decision-making authorities from commanders to specialized, independent military prosecutors who will assume full prosecutorial discretion for covered offenses from commanders on December 27, 2023.