Like the checks and balances that are currently in place for civilians, all we are asking for is the same. While civilians have various routes of redress to get justice for the crime perpetrated against them, service members are too often dependent on one person's individual discretion.

The invisible war is fought each and every day by the brave men and women in uniform who say to their peers, "enough is enough." It is fought by the survivors of military sexual assault who say, "never again."

Sexual violence is a prevalent problem within every community and environment. Key differences exist around the issue of military sexual assault. The structure and organizations of the military are very different than in the civilian world and it can be difficult to navigate the legal process.

Sexual assault in the military is a critical issue that strikes at the heart of force readiness, morale, and significantly erodes trust between servicemembers. The pervasiveness of the problem and the systematic burden placed on the victims is alarming.

It is hard to be a Military Sexual Trauma spouse -- not hard to be with a survivor, but hard because at times I feel so helpless to the trauma.

In the 22 years since the Tailhook scandal, we have witnessed a cycle: scandals of sexual violence within the military, the revelation of abuse of power, and then congressional hearings during which the military promises to do better. Rinse and repeat. Our military members deserve better.

Those veterans returned home to a bleak landscape of flashbacks of rape, post-traumatic stress, and displacement. These are brave, courageous people, survivors of military sexual assault, and I am committed to helping them rebuild their lives.

While sexual violence in the U.S. military is not a new problem, the widespread media coverage, growing awareness and sense of urgency to stem this epidemic gives us hope that now is the time to end this human rights abuse.

Some have pointed to "the rape issue" as a reason to maintain the ban on female combat service. But ending rape in the military and integrating women into combat roles are far from mutually exclusive.

Without a doubt, sexual assault crimes across the branches of our armed forces are occurring with shocking regularity. In order for practical changes to take hold and be effective, they must be accompanied by a universal culture change.