WASHINGTON, D.C. (KXXV) — The Cobos Law Firm, nonprofit Shield of Sisters, and alleged victims of Maj. Blaine McGraw have traveled to Washington, D.C. this week to advocate to lawmakers systemic changes in the U.S. Army in the aftermath of allegations against the former Fort Hood OB-GYN.
Alleged victims of McGraw are also scheduled to testify in front of Congress, and a press conference is planned for Tuesday afternoon.
“Survivors of the McGraw case have been forced to carry the weight of these stories in silence. Today, they carry them into the halls of power. We are not here simply to recount the past; we are here to architect a different future.
By looking these Representatives and Senators in the eye, these brave women are transforming their personal pain into the catalyst for institutional reform. We are seeing a historic moment where the voices of survivors are finally being treated as the expert testimony they are. We are hopeful-not just because we are being heard, but because we are seeing a genuine, bipartisan appetite for policy change that ensures 'never again' is a reality, not just a refrain.”
Throughout Tuesday, Cobos says he and alleged victims will meet with members of different organizations and representatives from the House Armed Services Committee.
"These meetings serve as a direct platform for survivors to share their stories with the lawmakers who hold the power to craft and pass protective legislation," Cobos said in a press release on Tuesday.
The law firms said that this is more than a legal battle, but is a crucial pursuit of institutional accountability and systemic change that goes beyond one military base, calling on lawmakers to be invested in:
- Systemic Reform: Seek policy changes that require more transparency, accountability, and trauma-informed responses for victims of abuse within all government and institutional settings.
- Strengthening Protections: Implement and rigorously enforce stronger regulations to prevent, detect and quickly address misconduct by individuals in positions of power and trust.
- Accountability for Failure to Act: Establish clear consequences for leadership that ignores or dismisses credible reports of abuse, allowing predators to continue harming vulnerable individuals.
"The stories shared by these survivors are vital evidence of where the system failed," Cobos said. "We are committed to standing with them as they demand solutions to ensure that this never happens again to anyone who seeks care, service, or protection from an American institution."
"We're taking some of the survivors from the McGraw situation with us to talk to different caucuses and ensure that they understand that there needs to be some serious investigations," said Shannon Hough, founder of Shield of Sisters, previously told 25 News' Bella Popadiuk.
Hough added that her organization has seen an uptick in military sexual trauma survivors seeking support amid the sexual misconduct allegations against McGraw.
