Jamie Leigh Jones alleges that she was drugged and raped by seven American contractors working for KPR then a subsidiary of Haliburton in Baghdad in 2005. Jones was prevented from having her day in court as:

Halliburton/KBR used a clause in her contract requiring disputes to be settled by arbitration to block legal action – a policy which, her lawyer says, has encouraged assaults by creating a climate of impunity. Chris McGreal, The Guardian.

Jones accusations are pretty horrifying

In legal papers Jones, who was 20 at the time, says she was fed a knockout drug while drinking with KBR fire-fighters.

“When she awoke the next morning still affected by the drug, she found her body naked and severely bruised, with lacerations to her vagina and anus, blood running down her leg, her breast implants ruptured and her pectoral muscles torn‚ which would later require reconstructive surgery. Upon walking to the rest room, she passed out again,” the papers say.

Jones was treated by a US army doctor who gave forensic evidence to company officials. She says the firm placed her under guard in a shipping container and she was released only after her father asked the US embassy to intervene. When the forensic evidence was handed to investigators two years later, crucial photographs and notes were missing. Chris McGreal, The Guardian.

As well as losing evidence

KBR has sought to discredit Jones’s account by saying she was seen drinking and flirting with a fire-fighter before leaving the gathering with him, and that the man claims to have had consensual sex with her. Chris McGreal, The Guardian.

Since when has drinking and flirting been an invitation for rape? Still

The firm denies that Jones was held prisoner, but not that her injuries indicated serious sexual assault. Chris McGreal, The Guardian.

However

KBR defended arbitration as a “fair process”, saying: “Most large companies have a dispute resolution programme which is mandatory and is designed to address employee complaints quickly and efficiently. Under KBR’s dispute resolution programme 95% of all employee complaints are resolved quickly to the employees’ satisfaction without a mediation or an arbitration.” Chris McGreal, The Guardian.

Still if that’s true what about Mary Beth Kineston

Who drove lorries in Iraq and survived a bloody ambush, has alleged that she was sacked after complaining of sexual assaults by several fellow workers. Chris McGreal, The Guardian.

Or Linda Lindsey

Who worked for KBR in Iraq for three years, has said that male supervisors regularly offered promotions and other benefits in exchange for sex. Chris McGreal, The Guardian.

Or the 40 other calls that Jones’ lawyer Todd Kerry has received?

Still one piece of good news for Americans

US defence firms are to be barred from lucrative government contracts if they refuse to allow employees access to the courts. Chris McGreal, The Guardian.

However it might be a good idea to get legal advice before signing an employment contract – which sadly puts more money in to the pockets of fat cat lawyers – and don’t think because you live in the UK you’ll be immune from such underhand tactics by employers.

Another thing troubling me – these cases show there are too many men willing to rape, haven’t we learnt that no means no – we don’t have a right to sex.