LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
To sexual assault victims, it's a story that is difficult to tell. For one rape victim's family, it's a story that must be told.
Invited to speak here during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Mary Lauterbach recounted her daughter's horrifying ordeal April 9 before more than 160 base leaders attending a community luncheon at the Gateway Club.
Lauterbach may not have been a household name 15 months ago. Now it is, mostly due to the national media attention and public outrage stirred by her daughter's tragic death.
A Marine lance corporal stationed in Camp Lejeune, N.C., in 2007, Maria Lauterbach accused a fellow Marine of rape. Her accusations led to harassment, physical harm, personal property damage, and in the end, her murder and that of her unborn child. She was eight months pregnant at the time. Her charred remains were found buried in the accuser's backyard almost a month after her mother reported her missing.
Subsequently, Marine Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, the accused rapist and suspected killer, deserted the Marine Corps and fled to Mexico, where he was arrested. He now awaits extradition back to the United States, a process that could take up to three years.
Recounting her daughter's story in detail - from the time Maria telephoned a month after the rape until her senseless death - Mrs. Lauterbach stressed that no one should be afraid of reporting sexual assault. She urged Maria to report the attack.
Some things should have been done following Maria's assault; and changes need to be instituted. This was her message to the audience.
"When it comes to rape, these patterns have to be stopped. I was the person that encouraged my daughter to report the rape and now I feel it's my responsibility," Mrs. Lauterbach said. "I need to be my daughter's voice."
Though she works fulltime, Mrs. Lauterbach has been lobbying Congress and the military for sexual assault legislative changes. She has testified before Congressional committees about sexual assault and has already had legislation go through.
During her address, Mrs. Lauterbach raised points overlooked during her daughter's circumstance.
"Someone accused of rape or sexual assault is innocent until proven guilty. That's the foundation of our legal system," she said. "But at the same time, it is possible the accuser could be telling the truth and should be given some benefit of the doubt.
"(Even if) someone has a terrible reputation, they just might be telling the truth," said Mrs. Lauterbach.
She also said the victim is going to be harassed by friends of the accused, and by stepping forward and making accusations, the victim is taking a huge risk.
"I think it's very important to remove all contact between the accused and the victim," she said, something that was not done for her daughter. "It is a terrible trauma for the victim. They must be completely separated. The ideal thing is a base transfer."
If someone makes a rape or sexual assault accusation, followed by an assault charge or damage to personal property, Mrs. Lauterbach said that should automatically trigger further investigation.
"A major cause of death among pregnant women is murder," she said, "and much more so with sexual assault victims. At the very least, they need a base transfer."
Mrs. Lauterbach also believes victim advocates must be proactive on behalf of the victim and ensure non-contact with the accused. Her luncheon appearance was part of a two-day visit to Lackland. She spoke to technical school students, where the highest numbers of sexual assault incidents are reported.
She focused on reporting, encouraging them to come forward. "Scary as it may be, until people stand shoulder to shoulder, we're never going to beat it (sexual assault), it's only going to get worse."