Protect Our Defenders (POD) is the pre-eminent national human rights organization dedicated to ending sexual violence, victim retaliation, misogyny, sexual prejudice, and racism in the military and combating a culture that has allowed it to persist.
We honor, support, and give voice to survivors of military sexual violence. We seek reform to ensure all service members are provided a safe and respectful work environment free from misogyny and racism, and have access to a fair, impartially administered system of justice.
We seek reform to ensure all survivors and service members are provided a safe, respectful work environment and have access to a fair, impartially administered system of justice. Our efforts are directly informed by our work with victims, survivors, and their families, as well as retired and active-duty military members.
Our work includes researching and exposing dysfunction in the military justice system related to sexual assault and harassment; amplifying survivors’ voices within the policy debate; helping survivors access appropriate services, including pro bono legal help; and supporting policy initiatives that fundamentally reform how the Department of Defense deals with rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.
