The clinic represents Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN) in its campaign to persuade the Department of Defense to more forcefully address military sexual trauma (MST) within the ranks. The representation has included researching and writing a policy report, drafting federal legislation to improve compensation for victims of MST, drafting and submitting a petition for rule-making to VA, and representation of SWAN, the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, and the ACLU of Connecticut in two Freedom of Information Act lawsuits in U.S. District Court seeking DoD and VA records related to MST.

Battle for Benefits--VA Discrimination Against Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma (Report)
Battle for Benefits Appendix (November, 2013)
Amended Complaint, SWAN et al v. U.S. Department of Defense, No. 3:10-cv-1953-MRK (D.Conn.) (“SWAN I”)
Opinion and order, SWAN I (Mar. 30, 2012)
Complaint, SWAN et al. v. U.S. Department of Defense, No. 3:11-cv-1534-MRK (D.Conn.) (“SWAN II”)

Media Clips

Lawrence Downes, The V.A. and Sexual Trauma, Nov. 18, 2013

New York Times editorial, For Assaulted Veterans, a Second Battle, New York Times Nov. 17, 2013

Lucy Nalpathanchil, Veterans Groups Ask VA to Change PTSD Claims Process, NPR, July 16, 2013

ACLU Lawsuit: Military Won't Release Rape Records, Associated Press, Dec 13, 2010

Lisa Chedekel, Lawsuit In New Haven Charges Military Withholds Assault Data, New Haven Independent, Dec 13, 2010

Nikita Lalwani, Law School's Veterans Legal Services Clinic representing plaintiffs in federal suit, Yale Daily News, Dec 13, 2010

Information is Democracy for Iran Policy or Military Sexual Trauma Cases, talknationradio.com, Dec 16 2010

Christian Nolan, Lawsuit Filed Against Federal DOD, VA To Release Records on Military Sexual Assaults, CT Law Tribune, December 20, 2010

Besty Yagla , Yale Helps Two Veterans Groups File Lawsuits Against Federal Agencies, New Haven Advocate, Dec 21, 2010

Editorial: Justice for Women Veterans, The New York Times, September 11, 2011

Lucy Nalpathanchil, Same-sex ban challenged, Sydney Morning Herald, Oct 14, 2011