New London Coast Guard Academy Investigated Amid Sexual Assault Claims
by
Joseph C. Maya on Mar. 29, 2017
Employment Sexual Harassment Accident & Injury Personal Injury
Summary: Article about an investigation at the Coast Guard Academy in New London due to allegations of sexual assault.
Contact the experienced employment law attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. today at (203) 221-3100 or JMaya@Mayalaw.com.
The Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., which first accepted women in 1976, has a higher proportion of women in its student body -- about 30 percent -- than do any of the nation's other military service academies. The Coast Guard is also the only military service to open every available job to women.
But recently the Coast Guard Academy has drawn attention for a very different reason. For the first time in its 130-year history, the academy court-martialed a cadet, convicting him on sodomy, indecent assault and extortion charges after four female cadets accused him of assaulting them. The stories that emerged from the trial are enough to make any reasonable person question how such allegations are handled at the academy.
Last week two Connecticut members of Congress took up the issue. Christopher Shays, a Republican, led hearings on how officials are responding to reports of sexual assaults in the service academies. Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat, inserted a request in a Homeland Security spending bill for the Government Accountability Office to monitor the Coast Guard Academy's progress in responding to sexual harassment claims.
That scrutiny is necessary, as shown by an announcement earlier this year by the academy that it would start involving women in sexual harassment investigations to improve handling of such cases. It is frankly surprising, and somewhat appalling, that such a basic step was not taken years ago.
The academy's defenders say that the case is the rare exception and that the Coast Guard, with its strong record of welcoming women into the service, is unfairly getting a black eye. But the women who are performing so many functions in the service deserve assurance that their concerns will be taken seriously. The American people expect no less.
If you feel you have been mistreated by your employer or in your place of employment and would like to explore your employment law options, contact the experienced employment law attorneys today at 203-221-3100, or by email at JMaya@mayalaw.com. We have the experience and knowledge you need at this critical juncture. We serve clients in both New York and Connecticut including New Canaan, Bridgeport, White Plains, and Darien.
For continuous access to the legal world, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. We offer the latest updates on caselaw and legal news. In addition, informational videos are available for your convenience on our YouTube channel.
Source: Scandal at Coast Guard Academy, The New York Times, (July 2, 2006) at 9
