ADVISORY/City of West Hollywood to Announce Support for Military Sexual Assault Crimes Revision Act of 2004 During News Conference on Friday, May 21, 2004.

News Editors/Assignment Desks

ADVISORY...for Friday (May 21)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

WHAT:   The City of West Hollywood will hold a news conference about
        the Military Sexual Assault Crimes Revision Act of 2004. The
        Military Sexual Assault Crimes Revision Act of 2004 seeks to
        amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice to bring military
        sexual assault crimes up to par with Federal sexual assault
        crimes. The West Hollywood City Council passed a resolution
        supporting the Act at its May 17th general meeting.

        "The military must amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice
        to protect the thousands of women serving in the armed
        forces," said Mayor Pro Tempore Abbe Land. "It is
        unconscionable that women in uniform are serving without basic
        protections against rape and sexual assault and their
        perpetrators receive no real punishment," she continued.

        Under existing military law, rape is a capital offense subject
        to the death penalty. This is no longer the case under federal
        law. As a result, military authorities are reluctant to
        prosecute rape cases to the fullest extent and often seek
        other disciplinary remedies or lesser sentences for
        perpetrators of rape. This practice has not only left many
        rape victims without much confidence in the military's
        criminal justice system but it also discourages rape victims
        from even reporting to authorities.

        According to the Miles Foundation, a Connecticut-based
        organization known for championing the cause of abused
        military women, 83 sexual assault cases have occurred against
        women in the military in the last year and a half. News this
        winter that 112 women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan reported
        being sexually assaulted by fellow U.S. soldiers in the last
        two years shocked the public and shamed Defense Secretary
        Donald Rumsfeld into appointing a task force to investigate
        the matter. But when asked recently to provide updated figures
        on attacks, spokespersons for the Army, the Marines and the
        Air Force were unable to do so. Nor were they able to give the
        status of investigations into sexual assault charges.

WHO:    Members of the West Hollywood City Council; a spokesperson
        from Amnesty International's "Stop Violence Against Women
        Campaign"; women's rights and civil rights activists.

WHEN:   Friday, May 21, 2004
        11:30 a.m.

WHERE:  West Hollywood City Hall
        Lobby
        8300 Santa Monica Boulevard
        West Hollywood

CONTACT:
        Lisa Marie Belsanti
        Deputy to Mayor Pro Tempore Abbe Land
        323-848-6460