>>> TONIGHT, A LOOK AT THE SEXUAL ASSAULT APPEARED HARASSMENT IN OUR ARMED FORCES.

A NEW DOCUMENTARY TELLS THE STORY OF HOW A SOLDIER, MURDERED AFTER REPORTING WHAT HAPPENED TO HER, HAS LED TO THE MILITARY FINALLY CHANGING ITS WAY.

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪♪ ♪♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS", WITH RAFAEL P. ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND IT'S FOCUSED BY THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN FUND, THE, AND BY -- >>> GOOD EVENING.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OUT 20,000 MEN AND WOMEN SERVING IN THE MILITARY ARE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED EVERY SING THE YEAR, WITH MORE BEING HARASSED.

DESPITE THIS, ONLY A SMALL -- DUE TO A COMBINATION DESIGNED TO SUPPRESS THESE TYPES OF INSTANCES.

TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, VICTIMS THAT DO REPORT THAT ASSAULTS ARE OFTEN FACING RETALIATION FROM THEIR COLLEAGUES AND SUPERIOR OFFICERS.

IN A NEW DOCUMENTARY AVAILABLE TO STREAM ON UNIVISION.COM, TELLS THE STORY OF A WOMAN WHO WAS MURDERED AFTER REPORTING HER HARASSMENT AT FORT HOOD IN TEXAS, AS WELL AS HOW SHE INSPIRED COUNTLESS OTHERS TO SHARE THEIR STORY, AND PUSH FOR CHANGE IN THE MILITARY.

HERE IS A QUICK PREVIEW.

>> VERY CONCERNINGING CALL, VERY NERVOUS VOICE.

SHE HAD THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED AND NO ONE WAS BELIEVING HER.

SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.

SHE WAS CONTEMPLATING HURTING HERSELF.

SHE WAS IN SURVIVAL MODE.

>> I DON'T LIKE BEING TOUCHED.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO INTERACT WITH MY MOTHER.

A PART OF ME DIED.

WHO I USED TO BE DIED, BECAUSE SOMEBODY DECIDED TO DO THIS TO ME, AND NOBODY WANTED TO LISTEN.

I REPORTED IT, AND I FOUGHT, AND I'VE GONE THROUGH THE TRAUMA AND THE RETALIATION THAT I FACED, AND NOW THERE'S A MISSING SOLDIER THAT WAS HARASSED.

I WROTE MY STORY, PUT MY PICTURE BESIDE THE PICTURE, BECAUSE I WAS VANESSA.

I AM VANESSA.

>> THIS IS A HASHTAG GOING VIRAL HIGHLIGHTING STORIES OF ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT IN THE MILITARY.

>> AT FORT HOOD, ANOTHER SOLDIER MISSES.

>> THEY CONTRIBUTED TO AN ENVIRONMENT OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND -- >> IT WAS PERMISSIVE.

>> WE'RE ALL ABOUT MAKING OURSELVES BETTER.

>> BECAUSE THE MESSAGE AND CULTURE IN THE MILITARY HAS BEEN CLEAR -- SHUT UP, SUCK IT UP, AND DON'T ROCK THE BOAT.

>> IN THE CIVILIAN WORLD, PROSECUTORS MAKE THE DECISION TO PROSECUTOR.

IN THE MILITARY, NON-LAWYER COMMANDERS MAKE THAT DECISION.

90% OF -- WOULD NEVER BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

>> IT'S TIME FOR CONGRESS TO GIVE THE MEN AND WOMEN SERVING OUR NATION A JUSTICE SYSTEM WORTHY OF THEIR SACRIFICES.

>> YOU NEED TO PASS THIS LEGISLATION.

[ CHANTING ] >> WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF SUCCESS.

WE'RE GOING TO REFORM THIS SYSTEM AND GET TO A BETTER PLACE.

>> THE WOMEN VETERANS YOU ENCOUNTER HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADAPT AND OVERCOME, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALK, BUT HERE'S THE THING.

YOU'VE CREATED A WOMAN WHO IS UNSTOPPABLE.

>>> JOINING ME NOW TO DISCUSS THIS POWER NEW DOCUMENTARY IS THE FILM'S DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER.

ANDREA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.

HER STORY IS ALSO FEATURED IN THE DOCUMENTARY.

SHE'S ALSO THE CREATOR OF THE VIRAL # IAMVANESSAGUILLEN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, LADIES.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> ANDREA, THIS IS A QUESTION I ASK ALL DIRECTORS, WHAT SPECIFICALLY MOTIVATED YOU TO CREATE THIS DOCUMENTARY.

WHAT WAS, YOU FELT, THE NARRATIVE THAT WAS NOT ALREADY OUT THERE?

>> SO, DURING 2020, OUR TEAM AT UNIVERSUS HAD BEEN COVERING THE DISAPPEARANCE AND MURDER OF VANESSA GUILLEN, WHO WENT MISSING IN APRIL OF 2020 AT THE FORT HOOD BASE, AND LATER HER BODY WAS FOUND.

DURING THAT REPORTING, YOU KNOW, THE FOLLOWING MONTHS, WE HEARD FROM A COUPLE CASES, CORINNE, TELLING US HER STORY.

WE HEARD FROM HER IN DECEMBER OF 2020.

I DECIDED TO FLY DOWN TO MEET HER.

ONCE WE MET, I KNEW RIGHT AWAY, THERE WAS AN IMPORTANT STORY TO BE TOLD.

I WAS VERY STRUCK -- I TELL HER THIS ALL THE TIME -- BY HER INCREDIBLE ABILITY TO ARTICULATE HER FEELINGS AND REALLY EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THAT WAS THROUGH, AND VERY COMPLEX, YOU KNOW -- IT'S A VERY STRATEGIC SITUATION, BUT ALSO HAS REALLY, REALLY DEEP AND GRAVE CONSEQUENCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH.

YOU KNOW, CORINA, THE WAY SHE ARTICULATED THAT TO ME, REALLY STRUCK ME AND STAYED WITH ME.

I CAME BACK FROM THE TRIP AND KNEW THERE WAS AN IMPORTANT STORY TO TELL, NOT JUST ABOUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE, LACK OF CONSOLIDATE, BUT THE HUGE MENTALITY HEALTH IMPACT THAT LACK OF JUSTICE HAS ON SURVIVORS.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I REALLY WANTED TO TELL THE STORY.

I REALLY WANTED TO KIND OF FRONT AND CENTER THE STORIES OF SURVIVORS.

CORINA AS THE MAIN NARRATIVE, BUT THERE'S OTHER SURVIVORS THAT COME INTO THE FILM AND TELL THE STORY OF THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF VANESSA'S CASE, AND PARTLY BECAUSE OF CORINA'S HASHTAG, MANY CAME FORWARD, AND CHANGES TOOK PLACE, AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO DO, BUT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT WERE PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.

>> CORINA, I WANT YOUR TAKE ON, WHAT WAS IT ABOUT VANESSA'S STORY THAT RESONATED SO DEEPLY WITH YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE AND MADE IT CLEAR, YOU KNOW, NOW IS THE TIME TO SPEAK UP?

>> I THINK WHEN I ORIGINALLY HEARD ABOUT HER CASE, ALL I HAD KNOWN IS THAT SHE WAS MISSING, AND THE DAYS HAD KEPT GOING, WHERE YOU WOULD SEE HER FACE, AND YOU WOULDN'T -- THERE WASN'T AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY SHE WAS MISSING.

WHEN I ACTUALLY LOOKED UP THE STORY, SO MANY THINGS JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.

I THOUGHT, THERE HAS TO BE MORE COVERAGE ON THIS.

SOMEONE IS JUST MISSING AND THERE'S NOT.

A COUPLE DAYS INTO IT, I REALIZED I DIDN'T LOOK AT THE SPANISH SECTION OF THE NEWS.

MAYBE I'LL FIND SOMETHING THERE.

THAT'S WHEN I HEARD HER MOM SAY THAT SHE WAS ACTUALLY HARASSED, AND NOW SHE'S MISSING, AND SHE WANTS ANSWERS.

TO ME, IT FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, A TON OF BRICKS JUST FELL ON TOP OF ME, BECAUSE THIS WASN'T BEING SAID IN THE ENGLISH MEDIA.

IT JUST MADE ME SO ANGRY.

I REMEMBER JUST SO MANY EMOTIONS, AND I STARTED, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT EVERYBODY.

I STARTED TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT PEOPLE THAT COULD LISTEN AND COULD UNDERSTAND THAT THIS -- YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED TO HER WAS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL THING.

IT HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY MY CASE, AND HOW I HAD JUST LEFT.

I WAS FORCED OUT OF MY CAREER, BECAUSE I WAS SPEAKING UP ON THIS, AND IT HAD GONE SO BAD AND CHAOTIC THAT, YOU KNOW, CONGRESS HAD TO GET INVOLVED IN MY CASE.

SO IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS ANGRY, I WAS SENDING, YOU KNOW, THE FAMILY -- I WAS MORE SPECIFICALLY THE SISTERS MY STORY, AND IT JUST, YOU KNOW, WASN'T REACHING THEM, WHICH I UNDERSTAND WHY.

THERE WERE PROBABLY SO MANY MESSAGES COMING IN THERE IN BOXES AND TO THEM.

YOU KNOW, I -- I WAS LIKE, OKAY, I'M GOING TO PUT IT ON FACEBOOK.

I'M GOING TO COME FORWARD AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT'S OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T -- YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY CIVILIANS DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CAN'T COME FORWARD.

YOU THINK THAT WHEN SOMETHING TRAUMATIC HAPPENS LIKE THAT, YOU'RE SAFE IF YOU GO TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

HOWEVER, THAT'S REALLY NOT THE CASE.

YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE RIGHT PEOPLE, AND THOSE DOORS ARE SHUT ON THAT TO PROTECT YOU.

THE RETALIATION THAT COMES IS HORRIFYING, SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST STAY QUIET AND JUST ENDURE EVERYTHING IN SILENCE.

IT'S A VERY SCARY THING TO GO THROUGH.

I THINK PEOPLE NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND SEE THAT, MORE SPECIFICALLY THROUGH MY STORY, BECAUSE I CAME FORWARD.

I'VE WONDERED, SHOULD I HAVE COME FORWARD?

MAYBE I WOULD STILL HAVE MY CAREER IF I DIDN'T, AND MAYBE I WOULD GEL MENTAL HEATH SERVICES BEHIND THE SCENES, BEHIND EVERYONE'S BACK AND TOOK CARE OF IT THAT WAY.

WHO KNOWS.

>> ANDREA, I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOU.

WE DID, OF COURSE, SHOW A CLIP OF THE FILM.

WE ALWAYS WANT PEOPLE TO WATCH THE FULL DOCUMENTARY, BUT CAN YOU FILL IN FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF VANESSA'S STORY, WHO WAS SHE?

AND WHAT DO WE NOW KNOW OF WHAT HAPPENED?

>> SHE WAS A LATINA SOLDIER, STATIONED AT FORT HOOD IN TEXAS.

SHE STARTED, SHE WAS EXCITED TO JOIN THE MILITARY.

HER FAMILY SAYS SHE WAS VERY PROUD TO SERVE.

HER FAMILY IS AN IMMIGRANT FAMILY.

THEY'RE OF MEXICAN DESCENT, AND SHE SAW THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE HER COUNTRY AND JUST WAS VERY PROUD.

AT SOME POINT VANESSA CAME HOME AND HER MOM NOTICED SHE WAS A LITTLE OFF.

SHE WASN'T SLEEPING.

SHE JUST SEEMED OFF.

WHEN SHE ASKED HER WHAT WAS HAPPENING, VANESSA WOULDN'T TELL HER.

EVENTUALLY SHE TOLD HER SHE WAS BEING HARASSED BY A SOLDIER.

FAST FORWARD SHE GOES MISSING IN APRIL 2020.

INITIALLY, YOU KNOW, THE FAMILY KNEW RIGHT AWAY THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT.

THEY WERE A VERY TIGHT-KNIT FAMILY.

NOT HEARING FROM VANESSA IS REALLY OAF TO THEM.

THEY WENT TO THE BASE.

THEY WERE NOT GETTING A LOT OF ANSWERS.

YOU KNOW, THEY WERE KIND OF KEPT -- YOU KNOW, PUSHED AWAY IN SOME WAYS, BUT THEY WERE VERY, VERY PERSISTENT.

THEY WERE JUST, YOU KNOW, DEMANDING ANSWERS.

EVENTUALLY HER BODY WAS FOUND, AND WE KNOW THAT SHE WAS MURDERED BY SOMEONE IN HER UNIT.

WE KNOW HE WASN'T THE PERSON THAT WAS HARASSING HER NECESSARILY, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF ANSWERS THAT NEED TO BE CLEARED OUT, AND THE FAMILY IS STILL WAITING FOR A LOT OF ANSWERS.

THROUGHOUT THAT SEARCH, YOU KNOW, WITH CORINA'S HASHTAG, WHEN VANESSA WAS STILL MISSING, SO MANY PEOPLE, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CAME FORWARD WITH THEIR OWN STORIES OF HARASSMENT AS WELL.

>> SO, NOW, CORINA, I WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN A BIT FOR SO MANY OF US WHO ARE CIVILIANS, WHAT IS THE MILITARY CULTURE LIKE THAT PUSHES, MAYBE COERCES, MAYBE EVEN DEMANDS THAT WOMEN WHO ARE SERVING REMAIN QUIET ON AN ISSUE LIKE THIS?

>> THAT'S -- THAT'S THE QUESTION I GET FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND I THINK, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S A REALLY GOOD ANSWER TO IT.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE I JOINED, MY FAMILY SAT DOWN WITH ME AND TALKED TO ME ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A WOMAN AND WORK IN A MALE-FILLED INDUSTRY, AND THEN ME, AS A MINORITY, AS A WOMAN, GOING INTO THIS, ESPECIALLY BEING 19 YEARS OLD -- I WAS 19 AT THE TIME.

THEY WENT THROUGH DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COULD BE ISSUES.

YOU KNOW, THEY TOLD ME I WAS VERY NAIVE.

I WAS VERY YOUNG.

THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS SET UP FOR SUCCESS.

I REMEMBER MY FAMILY SHOWED ME THE OLIVIA JOHNSON PIECE.

I REMEMBER THINKING, YOU KNOW, OKAY, THEY'RE STILL FIGHTING FOR THIS, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY CASE I REMEMBER.

OKAY, THE STATISTICS OF THAT HAPPENING TO ME WERE, YOU KNOW, PRETTY LOW.

HER FAMILY IS STILL FIGHTING FOR ANSWERS, THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE ANSWERS.

YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY KNEW EVE.

I HAD A LOT OF TRUST IN THE SYSTEM.

I'M GOING TO GO SERVE MY COUNTRY.

I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT IT.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.

I'M NERVOUS.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER BEING IN BASIC, GOING THROUGH THE MILITARY PROCESS, AND I REMEMBER JUST HOW MANY FEMALE NCOs HAD PULLED ME ASIDE, GAVE ME ADVICE, OR TOLD ME TO STAY AWAY FROM A SPECIFIC PERSON.

YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT -- THEY WERE DOING THE BEST THEY COULD TO GIVE ME ADVICE, BUT TO AN 18-YEAR-OLD, 20-YEAR-OLD, IT'S SO WEIRD THAT PERSON HAD TO GIVE ME THAT ADVICE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I REMEMBER HAVING THIS REALLY, YOU KNOW, BEING SEXUALLY HARASSED IN ONE SPECIFIC INCIDENT IN KOREA, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

I FELT LIKE I WAS SUFFOCATING.

I WAS BLOCKED INTO A KITCHEN.

I REMEMBER GOING TO AN NCO, A FEMALE C.O., AND TOLD HER WHAT I FELT, BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS FEELING.

SHE TOLD ME -- SHE GAVE ME ADVICE, AND SHE WAS LIKE -- BACKING ME UP THE FULL TIME.

TOLD ME TO SAY TO HANDLE SITUATIONS LIKE THAT, AND SHE MADE ME CONFRONT HIM AND SAY THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE.

AND I THOUGHT IN FORT HOOD I COULD DO EXACTLY THAT, THAT I WAS SHOWN HOW TO DO IT AND I COULD GET HELP IN MY SITUATION, AND INSTEAD I WAS REDIRECTED AND GUIDED TO NOT GET THE HELP, AND INSTEAD JUST TO STAY QUIET ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THE UNIT DIDN'T NEED EYES OR MORE EXTRA ATTENTION ON THE UNIT.

I KIND OF FELT ASHAMED.

I FELT LIKE I COULDN'T STAND UP FOR MYSELF, AND I HAD ALWAYS BEEN THAT 19-YEAR-OLD, IF THIS EVER HAPPENED, I'M GOING TO STAND FOR MYSELF, I'M GOOD DEAL TO FIGHT BACK.

NO ONE IS GOING TO DO THAT FOR ME, I'M GOING TO STAY QUIET.

I STARTED THAT INNER WAR WITH MYSELF.

I FAILED MYSELF, BECAUSE HERE I WAS, YOU KNOW, LETTING THEM WIN AND INTIMIDATE ME, KEEP ME SILENT.

I FELT UNSAFE.

ON TOP OF THAT, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW -- MY FAMILY MEMBERS WERE THE ONES TELLING ME TO -- I WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED.

THE 19-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO WAS TELLING THEM I'LL STAND UP AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT, AND THEY'LL HAVE TO HELP ME.

NOW, IT'S THE OPPOSITE.

WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SUBJECT THAT'S EXTREMELY HEAVY.

EVEN IF YOU GO TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO APPROACH THE SITUATION.

ON TOP OF THAT, IF YOU GO TO THE WRONG PEOPLE, THE WRONG PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANT YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AT ALL.

IT'S YOUR FAULT, AND THAT'S IT.

WHEN I STARTED GOING TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, I HAD BEEN TOLD IT WAS MY FAULT.

SO YOU START BATTLING YOURSELF.

I THINK ULTIMATELY THAT'S HOW THEY KIND OF WIN.

THEY MAKE YOU QUESTION YOURSELF.

IF YOU'RE QUESTIONS THEM, YOU'RE LIKE, NO, I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AND IT'S WRONG.

ONCE YOU HEAR IT ENOUGH AND YOU'RE IN THAT FRAGILE STATE OF MAYBE THIS WASN'T, YOU KNOW -- WHAT DID I DO WRONG?

YOU KIND OF RETRACK AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, OKAY, BUT WHAT DID I DO THAT LED ME TO BE PUT INTO THIS SITUATION.

>> IT'S SOUNDING A BIT LIKE, PERHAPS, ISSUES OF HIERARCHY AND CHAIN OF COMMAND ARE ALSO COMING INTO PLAY WITH YOU AS A 19-YEAR-OLD RECRUIT.

FOR THE NON-SERVING CIVILIAN AUDIENCE, JUST VERY QUICKLY, CAN YOU JUST LET EVERYONE KNOW, WHAT EXACTLY IS AN NCO?

>> AN NCO IS BASICALLY THE -- THEY'RE KNOWN AS THE BACKBONE OF THE ARMY, OVER THE MILITARY IN GENERAL, AND THEY HAVE SERVED FOR SOME TIME.

THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE BASIC LEADERSHIP SCHOOLS, AND THEY HAVE THAT RANK.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE PUT IN CHARGE OF THE LOWER ENLISTED SOLDIERS.

SO, BASICALLY THEY ARE A FORM OF LEADERSHIP.

THEY ARE SOMEONE YOU REPORT TO.

>> OKAY.

DOES THAT STAND FOR SOMEBODY?

>> NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER.

>> OKAY.

THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS, BECAUSE YOU DO KEEP GOING BACK TO THE AGE AND ONE THING EVERYONE IS RELATE TO, WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING A 19-YEAR-OLD.

THINKING YOU UNDERSTAND, BUT NOT FULLY UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD YOU'RE STEPPING INTO.

HOW LONG AFTER YOU GOT TO FORT HOOD, DID THE INCIDENT HAPPENED?

>> TO CLARIFY, I JOINED WHEN I WAS 19, AND I HAD SEEN THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT FROM 19, 20, THOSE AGES.

WHEN I WENT TO FORT HOOD, I WAS 21 ALREADY.

I HAD ARRIVED LATE JULY, SO I WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF -- THEY CALL IT -- IT'S BASICALLY FOR CIVILIAN TERMS, ON-BOARDING WHEN YOU FIRTH GET THERE.

THEY HAVE TO PROCESS YOU.

I REMEMBER TELLING MY MOM THE FIRST DAY, I FELT LIKE A PIECE OF MEAT.

I REMEMBER TEXTING HER, I WAS CRYING, AND SHE SAID MAYBE YOU'LL LOVE IT T I DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO TEXAS.

I WANTED TO GO TO FORT BRAGG.

I WANTED TO BE CLOSE TO MY FAMILY.

SO THAT FIRST DAY WAS VERY FRUSTRATING FOR ME, AND I FELT LIKE EVERY TIME I ASKED A QUESTION, THEY WERE SETTING ME UP FOR FAILURE.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY I WAS ASKING THEY QUESTIONS, SO I WOULDN'T BREAK ANY RULES, BUT THEY WOULD GIVE ME THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE ANSWER.

IT WAS LIKE YOUR BACK WAS AGAINST THE WALL, AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO BELIEVE OR DIDN'T.

THAT WAS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING.

ON TOP OF THAT, IT WAS LIKE THE COMMENTS TO THINGS LIKE THAT THAT THEY WOULD MAKE.

THAT WAS BEFORE I EVEN GOT TO MY UNIT.

I WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN SEPTEMBER, SO I HAD BEEN TECHNICALLY ONE FULL MONTH AND A COUPLE WEEKS.

ALSO, WITH THAT, TOO, ONE THING I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE IS, WE GROW UP WITH OUR PARENTS TELLING US DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS, DON'T GET IN THE CAR WITH STRANGERS.

BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IN THE MILITARY, YOU DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD.

SO THERE WERE A LOT OF TIMES I WAS IN THE CAR WITH A STRANGER, BECAUSE I -- YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO PICK ME UP DIDN'T, SO THEY WERE SENDING SOMEBODY ELSE.

THEY'RE DRIVING ME, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S LIKE, I NEVER MET THIS PERSON IN MY LIFE.

SO IT KIND OF GOES INTO THAT KIND OF SITUATION, WHERE IT'S LIKE, WE'RE TOLD OUR WHOLE ENTIRE LIVES WE'RE NOT TO GET INTO CAR WITH STRANGERS, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE DO IN THE MILITARY.

BEING THAT YOUNG AND STILL, YOU KNOW, DOING WHAT YOU'RE TOLD, YOU THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE BEING TOLD IS LAW, AND YOU HAVE TO DO IT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF INTIMIDATION THAT GOES IN WHEN YOU'RE TELLING YOUNGER SOLDIERS, HEY, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS OR YOU HAVE TO BE HERE.

IN A LOT OF CASES AND STORIES, ESPECIALLY FROM THE SURVIVORS THAT CAME FORWARD WITH THE HASHTAG, THEY'LL TELL YOU, I WAS DOING WHAT THEY TOLD ME TO DO, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WAS EXPECTED FROM ME.

SO THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO BEING YOUNG.

I'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD SURVIVORS TELL ME, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE 25, 26 EVEN, AND STILL IT'S THAT -- WHEN YOU COME INTO THE MILITARY, EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY BRAND NEW, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE CIVILIAN WORLD.

IT IS ABOUT AGE, BUT IT IS ALSO ABOUT THAT INTIMIDATION FACTOR WHERE YOU HAVE SOMEBODY SUPERIOR TO YOU, TELLING YOU, GIVING YOU AN ORDER, IF YOU DON'T LISTEN TO THAT ORDER, YOU CAN GET IN TROUBLE.

IT'S ALSO A MATTER OF I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THIS PERSON UPSET, BECAUSE THIS PERSON LEGIT HOLDS ALL THE POWER FOR MY CAREER, MY PROGRESSION, MY REPUTATION AS WELL.

THAT PERSON WILL TELL OTHERS THAT I'M DISRESPECTFUL AND DON'T LISTEN, AND IN MY CASE, ALL OF A SOMETHING SOMEBODY WOULD KEY YOU WANT TO GO TO I.G., HERE'S THIS.

I'M, LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, WHY ARE YOU BRINGING THIS UP WHEN I'M TRYING TO GET HELP?

IT QUIETLY SILENCES YOU AGAIN.

YOU KEEP GOING ON WITH YOUR LIFE, AND UNABLE TO LOOK AT YOURSELF IN A MIRROR AND REALIZE YOU'RE JUST STUCK.

>>> WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT, BUT ANDREA, YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT WERE BEGINNING TO TAKE PLACE.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IS POTENTIALLY ON THE TABLE TO HAPPEN TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES?

>> YEAH, THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR -- ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES IN THE MILITARY, GOING BACK TO CORINA'S STORY, BASICALLY THE MILITARY, YOU KNOW, LIKE CHECKS THEMSELVES, RIGHT?

IF YOUR CASE IS IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, YOUR COMMANDER DECIDES WHETHER A CASE OF ASSAULT OR HARASSMENT IS PROSECUTED, RIGHT?

THEY HAVE A LOT OF POWER.

COMMANDERS FOR THE MOST PART ARE NOT LAWYERS, SO IT'S NOT A VERY UNBIASED PROCESS.

SO FOR DECADES ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN WANTING TO TAKE THOSE CASES OUT OF THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO AN INDEPENDENT BODY THAT WOULD REGULATE.

THAT WAS ACHIEVED LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME.

IT'S A HUGE CHANGE.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A FEW YEARS FOR IT TO ACTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTED.

THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO CHANGE, FOR INSTANCE, THE CASES TAKING OUT OF THE CHAIN OF COMMAND WERE SEXUAL ASSAULT, MURDER, OTHER GRAVE ASSAULTS, BUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT WAS NOT TAKEN OUT OF THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.

THAT'S A HIGH INDICATOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, SO IF THE COMMANDERS ARE HANDLING THOSE CASES, IT'S A BIT OF A CONTRADICTION.

THAT'S A HUGE CHANGE.

I THINK CULTURE NEEDS TO CHANGE AS WELL.

>> OKAY.

I'M SORRY.

I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME.

I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THE FILM IS " #I'M VANESSA GUILLEN" AND I WANT TO THANK THE FILM'S PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR, ANDREA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND CORINA, ALSO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND SHARING THE STORIES.

THANK YOU BOTH.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, AND ANDREA.

♪♪ "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION, AND