More Women Claim Sex Abuse At KBR

Harassment Common At Former Halliburton Subsidiary In Iraq, Women Say

(CBS/AP)  A woman who claims she was raped by a fellow employee while working for a U.S. contractor in Iraq told House lawmakers Wednesday that her case is far from unique.

A Texas congressman agreed, saying several other women have come forward with reports of sexual harassment and assault while employed in Iraq for Halliburton's former subsidiary, KBR.

The women have given lawyers and Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, accounts similar to the allegations of Jamie Leigh Jones of Conroe, Texas, who says she was raped in July 2005 by a co-worker who drugged her. She said she awoke groggy and confused the next morning, bleeding and bruised. She said a KBR representative kept her in a shipping container for a day so she wouldn't report the assault.

"This problem goes way beyond just me," Jones told the House Judiciary subcommittee on crime, terrorism and homeland security.

Poe said three women - including Tracy Barker, who submitted written testimony of her account and was at the hearing - had contacted him.

The Associated Press does not usually identify people who say they were sexually assaulted, but Jones and others named here have made their identities public.

Ten others reported their stories through a foundation Jones began to help women with similar experiences.

In her written statement, Barker said she was sexually assaulted by a co-worker while working in the Green Zone in Basra, Iraq, in 2005. That followed retaliation for reporting sexual harassment in 2004, she said.

Poe said another, unidentified, woman was molested several times and raped by a KBR co-worker. After the rape, her attacker was allowed to work alongside her. Military officers escorted him off the base when she complained, and she was fired.

"Iraq is reminiscent of the Old Western days and no one seems to be in charge," Poe told the House panel. "The law must intervene, and these outlaws need to be rounded up and order restored."

Jones submitted a copy of an affidavit from KBR human resources supervisor Letty Surman to the committee, in which she said she was aware of the work environment.

"During my time as an HR supervisor, I was aware that a lot of sexual harassment went on - it was our major complaint. ... I am aware that Halliburton has a policy of sweeping problems under the rug," Surman said in the affidavit.

KBR said it was not invited to testify at the hearing. Asked for comment Wednesday, the Houston-based company reiterated a statement it has made since Jones' allegations became public last week. "The safety and security of all employees remains KBR's top priority. Our commitment in this regard is unwavering."

KBR split from Halliburton in April.

Poe and Jones said they have been unable to find out whether her assault was investigated or anyone held accountable. Jones said photos, doctors' notes and physical evidence were taken when she went to the Army hospital the day after the rape.

The doctors gave the evidence to KBR security, she said. A State Department official told Jones in May the photos and notes were missing.

Jones said she was held against her will after she finished a doctor's exam that confirmed she was raped.

"The KBR security then took me to a trailer and then locked me in a room with two armed guards outside my door," Jones said. "I was in prison in the trailer for approximately a day. One of the guards finally had mercy and let me use a phone. I called my dad, who contacted Congressman Ted Poe, who took actions to get me out of the country. I believe he saved my life."

Poe testified the State Department dispatched two U.S. Embassy agents after he contacted the department.

"Within 48 hours, they had gone to Baghdad, two agents found her, rescued her, got her to an Army hospital, got her medical needs taken care of and she was brought back home," Poe told CBS' The Early Show this week.

Several members of Congress have criticized the Justice, State and Defense departments for the way the case was handled.

The Justice Department was a no-show at the hearing, which drew heavy criticism from Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the full House Judiciary Committee. "It is unacceptable for our own Department of Justice to refuse to testify today," Conyers, D-Mich., said.

Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said the department gave Congress a "detailed explanation of its authority to investigate and prosecute criminal misconduct involving U.S. persons who are contract employees in Iraq."

He said Justice officials decided not to testify so it would not compromise the ongoing investigation.

Jones and others are suing the company, but must contend with an agreement they signed at hiring requiring them to settle disputes through private arbitration.

"What is to stop these companies from victimizing women in the future?" Jones said. "The U.S. government has to provide people with their day in court when they have been raped and assaulted by other American citizens. Otherwise we are not only deprived of our justice in the criminal courts but in the civil courts as well. The laws have left us nowhere to turn."

[schartsell]

There is little doubt now, if there EVER WAS, that these contractor cronies of the Bush Administration, like HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE who sets the standard for them, consider themselves above the rule of law. What ELSE will it take for the American electorate to admit that a tragic mistake was made in electing CHENEY-BUSH, for crying out loud, TWICE!

As I have said in the past, THOSE CHICKENS ARE COMING TO ROOST!

Secret meetings, allowing Big Business to WRITE GOVT POLICY
Ignoring Separation Of Powers, Stacking The Courts, Firing Attorneys for not assisting in Fixing Elections
Signing Statements that place the President, members of his Admin and staff ABOVE THE RULE OF LAW
Ignoring The Geneva Convention, to the shame of America and endangerment of our Service Men & Women
Abu Grab, Guantonymo, Secret Prisons, Renditions, Black Sites, Black Operations, TORTURE
Bragging about VIOLATIONS of the law re. interception of private communications
BLACKWATER
HALLIBURTON/KBR
Patriot Act(s)

How Long America, How Long ? Surely we are better than THIS!
Is THIS what our forefathers fought & died to leave us?

[schartsell]

There is little doubt now, if there EVER WAS, that these contractor cronies of the Bush Administration, like HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE who sets the standard for them, consider themselves above the rule of law. What ELSE will it take for the American electorate to admit that a tragic mistake was made in electing CHENEY-BUSH, for crying out loud, TWICE!

As I have said in the past, THOSE CHICKENS ARE COMING TO ROOST!

Secret meetings, allowing Big Business to WRITE GOVT POLICY
Ignoring Separation Of Powers, Stacking The Courts, Firing Attorneys for not assisting in Fixing Elections
Signing Statements that place the President, members of his Admin and staff ABOVE THE RULE OF LAW
Ignoring The Geneva Convention, to the shame of America and endangerment of our Service Men & Women
Abu Grab, Guantonymo, Secret Prisons, Renditions, Black Sites, Black Operations, TORTURE
Bragging about VIOLATIONS of the law re. interception of private communications
BLACKWATER
HALLIBURTON/KBR
Patriot Act(s)

How Long America, How Long ? Surely we are better than THIS!
Is THIS what our forefathers fought & died to leave us?
sherry c.h.

[keithle1]

Never tease a man. It ain''t healthy, ladies.

[archiej2]

Yo dogs**t . . should the American public really expect any thing but this type of condoned behavior from such a deceitful, manipulative and licentious administration, who has never been honest with the American people since taking the oath of office seven years ago?

[archiej2]

Yo dogsoul, you''re a moron. Go back to school and get a good education bro!!! If dogsoul only had a brain!

[ioweign]

I was waiting for the liberals to somehow blame THIS one on Bush too... well there ya have it folks, not only can Bush summon hurricanes - he also controls the johnsons of men!!! Bush is a GOD!!

Seriously - I doubt any of this is true... sounds like a shake down to get money. After all, plenty of people will simply believe this kind of story regardless of the pesky little thing called evidence... heck, look at the Duke rape hoax - people clung to THAT lie (some still do) despite heaping mounds of massive proof to the contrary... People, especially liberals - love the anti male, anti corporation, anti Iraq story & will buy it no matter WHAT the evidence says... all she has to do is cry on the stand & collect her millions...


Posted by dogsoul at 03:39 PM : Dec 20, 2007

Hey - numbnuts - who lied and got us into the Iraq mess in the first place !!

[mbcsmith]

I hope you far right pro-rapists are as passionate abiut those held in Gitmo with no proof.


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Posted by WDRussell1 at 03:41 PM : Dec 20, 2007

Absolutely, they should be raped.

[wdrussell1]

I hope you far right pro-rapists are as passionate abiut those held in Gitmo with no proof.

[dogsoul]

I was waiting for the liberals to somehow blame THIS one on Bush too... well there ya have it folks, not only can Bush summon hurricanes - he also controls the johnsons of men!!! Bush is a GOD!!

Seriously - I doubt any of this is true... sounds like a shake down to get money. After all, plenty of people will simply believe this kind of story regardless of the pesky little thing called evidence... heck, look at the Duke rape hoax - people clung to THAT lie (some still do) despite heaping mounds of massive proof to the contrary... People, especially liberals - love the anti male, anti corporation, anti Iraq story & will buy it no matter WHAT the evidence says... all she has to do is cry on the stand & collect her millions...

[mbcsmith]

Did you even read the article on this page? Or do you just scroll down to the comments section, preventing reality from possibly entering your train of thought?


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Posted by Fornicario at 03:09 PM : Dec 20, 2007

I read it thoroughly and see no mention of the evidence you refer to. Please refer specificly to where in the article you find proof.

[wdrussell1]

KBR, Halliburton, Blackwater, as American as Al Capone and Ted Bundy.

[tomanyt]

Fornicario ... I did read this article. There is no proof any of this happened.

[tomanyt]

stace34...Or perhaps there was no evidence to begin with, which is probably more likely. If there was a rape kit, why would she hand over a medical rape kit to the very people she accuses of raping her? And why wait so long to come forward with this story?

[stace34-2009]

you asked Where is the proof that these rapes occurred?


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Posted by tomanyt at 02:31 PM : Dec 20, 2007

The evidence is gone. The Army handed to the KRB security and it magically disappeared. Or perhaps they have so many rape kits it just go misplaced.

[fornicario]

Fornicario...Where is your proof that these alleged rapes are being covered up?

Posted by tomanyt

Did you even read the article on this page? Or do you just scroll down to the comments section, preventing reality from possibly entering your train of thought?

[tomanyt]

Fornicario...Where is your proof that these alleged rapes are being covered up?

[watcher269-2009]

KBR = Khristian Brothel Ranch - all women are free to the Khristian Executives.

[fornicario]

How about the 2755 rapes in new york this year. That Bush''''s fault also?

Posted by mbcsmith

2755 rapes in a population of 20 million = 1 rape for every 7,200 citizens. And you can bet that the police will change strategies to lower that number, as when New York City was clocking 3-5,000 homicides a year, tactics changed to catch and prevent these crimes. What has the government done to catch and prevent these rapes abroad? Hushed it up like it never happened. That is the difference between New York and Iraq. New York expects accountability and change, and they get it. Why can''t the Administration bear accountability for the war they wanted, or would it lower profits?

[j-whitman]

mbcsmith,,,, Nope, that one should be on Rudy & his successors

[mbcsmith]

mbcsmith,,,, Good question. --- It was either Bush''''s incompetence or our State Dept''''s incompetence that allowd this to take place


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Posted by j-whitman at 02:31 PM : Dec 20, 2007


How about the 2755 rapes in new york this year. That Bush''s fault also?