GAO Study Of Responses To Sexual Harassment Claims At Coast Guard Academy

 Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3) today called for a study to be conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) into the Coast Guard Academy's response to recent claims of sexual harassment. Language she offered during committee consideration of the Fiscal Year 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill directing the GAO to perform this study was included in the bill.

“The Coast Guard Academy has long had a reputation as being friendly to women,” said DeLauro. “Women make up nearly one-third of the cadet corps at the Academy – by far the largest number of female students of all the service academies. And I believe that Academy officials proposed the right changes and have every intent of carrying them out. This language simply asks GAO to report to the Congress on how effectively these changes have been implemented.”

The Coast Guard Academy announced in March that it would take immediate action to improve the Academy's response to sexual harassment claims made by cadets. Specifically, Academy administrators stated that female counselors or officers would be involved in investigations requested by female cadets, the reporting process would be made easier for victims and cadet training about sexual harassment would be improved.

The Academy faced eight sexual harassment claims in the last five years, including a claim earlier this year. The cadet who initiated the claim earlier this year had a difficult time getting her superiors to take her concerns seriously. Even when the investigation finally began, the Academy did not ensure that a female officer or counselor would be part of the investigation team – something that is required at the other service academies.

Women represent about 30 percent of cadets, compared to less than 20 percent at the Air Force and Naval Academies and about 15 percent at West Point.