Biden backs taking sexual assault prosecutions away from U.S. military commanders

President Joe Biden on Friday backed a recommendation that U.S. military prosecutions of sexual assaults be taken away from the chain of command and given to independent prosecutors to better serve the victims.

The change recommended by an independent review commission would represent a major shift in how the military has handled sexual assaults and related crimes for decades. It comes several years after the advent of the #MeToo response to sexual assault, harassment and discrimination against women by men in various walks of life.