The United States Coast Guard has been accused of preventing survivors of sexual assault from reporting their attacks, prompting an investigation of the renowned Coast Guard Academy.
The United States Coast Guard has been accused of preventing survivors of sexual assault from reporting their attacks, prompting an investigation of the renowned Coast Guard Academy.
According to the investigation, Coast Guard leaders illegally utilized nondisclosure agreements with the goal of silencing those who have been harmed.
The Coast Guard has been involved in numerous government investigations, including a congressional review by the Senate Commerce Committee that focuses on an initiative known as “Operation Fouled Anchor.” The probe found that decades of sexual misconduct had been swept under the rug.
In a statement, the Coast Guard said that the agreements forced upon survivors were “not intended to silence them,” but to maintain “the integrity of the investigation and to ensure that the privacy of other victims and witnesses involved in the broader Fouled Anchor probe was also protected.”
Even officials in close proximity to the internal investigation were required to sign these agreements. Those silenced by the nondisclosures included “subjects, investigators, witnesses and assault victims themselves.”
Following the news of the Fouled Anchor controversy, Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan issued apologies to members of Congress, academy cadets, and the entire Coast Guard workforce. In addition, she has since worked to reform procedures regarding sexual assault across the agency.
Still, many members of Congress remain unsatisfied with Fagan’s statements. Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut, where the academy is based, announced a new requirement for the Coast Guard. Moving forward, regular briefings will be held and must include key information in order to encourage transparency.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office recently expressed concerns that the US Coast Guard is not enacting change in an effective manner.
"This is a disservice to the survivors of rape and other sexual assaults at the Academy, whom the Coast Guard has already failed once," Senator Ted Cruz wrote.
Authors: Andy Goldwasser and Alexis Kabat
