DAYTON – Rape is a cancer within the ranks of the U.S. military, and while the Defense Department has gained ground in addressing the problem, it has much more to accomplish, the mother of a slain Miami Valley sexual assault victim said.

Mary Lauterbach, 53, of Vandalia, whose daughter, Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, was sexually assaulted and murdered by a fellow Marine in 2007, spoke Tuesday at a press conference at the Dayton Art Institute about rape in the military.

“Sexual assault in the military is a cancer that eats away at the very core of trust and mutual respect that makes military organizations thrive,” Lauterbach said. Since her daughter’s death, she said, “I’ve felt a certain responsibility to make sure that no man or woman should ever be afraid to report a sexual assault while in the military.”

Fellow Marine Cesar Laurean was convicted of first-degree murder in Lauterbach’s death and is serving a life sentence in a prison in North Carolina. Lauterbach was 20 and eight months pregnant when she was slain.

The Art Institute will showcase the film The Invisible War, a documentary about sexual assault in the military, which details Maria Lauterbach’s case and those of other victims.

Mary Lauterbach told the Dayton Daily News she plans to see the film for the first time in Dayton.

The film will have a public showing at the institute, 456 Belmonte Park North, at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13. Tickets must be reserved in advanced for the free showing. Log onto www.daytonartinstitute.org or call (937) 223-4278.

An invitation-only, private screening is set for Sept. 17. The film’s producer, Amy Ziering, is expected to attend. Dayton Power & Light is sponsoring the presentations.

The film premiered this year at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, who appeared in the documentary and attended Tuesday’s press conference, said the House has passed legislation that would elevate responsibility within the military for pursuing action in sexual assault cases to remove the potential for a commanding officer’s “bias.” The legislation was sent to the Senate.

Turner, R-Centerville, is the co-chairman of the bipartisan Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus.

Maria Lauterbach’s case led to reforms in how the military deals with the crime. Among other changes, victims have the right to ask for an expedited base transfer and may keep conversations with victim advocates confidential.

Merle Wilberding, the Lauterbach’s family attorney and a former Judge Advocate General lawyer in the Army, said he’s pleased Congress has taken steps to deal with sexual misconduct in uniform, yet the issue remains prevalent in military culture.

“We still have other things to do, other measures to propose, and we’re confident that we’ll get to even more,” he said. “It’s not a top-down problem so much as a bottom-up problem. The culture is ingrained severely throughout the military.”