After an internal review of the US Coast Guard's sexual assault and harassment issues was conducted, it was revealed that too many USCG members no longer trust the leadership because they feel unsafe.
The review spanned 90 days and was released on Wednesday, December 6. It urges the US Coast Guard officials to end the "permissive environment" that leads to sexual comments and jokes on some USCG members.
Aside from this, the internal review also calls for a greater focus on stopping unhealthy behavior among members at the earliest stages.
Too Many US Coast Guard Members Feel Unsafe Due to Sexual Assault Cases
A US Coast Guard vessel docks during an offload of packages of marijuana and cocaine at Port Everglades, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on November 22, 2021. - The US Coast Guard offloaded millions of dollars of drugs which were intercepted at sea at Port Everglades on Monday morning.
Fortune's latest report interviewed hundreds of USCG members throughout the service. These include victims of sexual harassment and assault from the present and way back in the 1960s.
"Too many Coast Guard members are not experiencing the safe, empowering workplace they expect and deserve (and) trust in Coast Guard leadership is eroding," said the report's authors via CNN Politics.
The interview review was conducted after CNN revealed that serious misconduct within the US Coast Guard had been ignored for years; in worse instances, some high-ranking officials even covered up sexual harassment and assaults.
"For so many victims, there are even deeper levels of broken trust," said the report.
These include eroding trust in:
- Leaders who failed them in preventing and responding to sexual violence.
- A military justice system with antiquated legal definitions of rape.
- Non-existent support programs for those impacted prior to 2000.
The critical review, which was ordered by Adm. Linda Fagan, the US Coast Guard commandant, focused on the recently undisclosed sexual harassment and assault cases, which specifically happened at the US Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut from 1988 to 2006.
What's USCG's Plan for This Issue?
The Coast Guard Cutter James is seen before approximately 27,300 pounds of cocaine and 11,000 pounds marijuana is offloaded at Port Everglades on October 28, 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The cocaine seized is worth an estimated $367 million and the 11,000 pounds of marijuana is worth an estimated $10.1 million.
The US Coast Guard relied on the report to create ways to make the USCG's internal environment safer for its members.
Here are the exact directed actions of Adm. Linda Fagan, which are expected to help USCG gain the trust of its members and make them feel safer within the department:
- Improvements to workforce training, culture and professional development.
- Creation of an Integrated Primary Prevention Program modeled after the Department of Defense program.
- Improved transparency and access to workforce climate data and resources.
- Incorporating our core values more thoroughly into enterprise communication, training and evaluations.
- Increased oversight and better accountability at the Coast Guard Academy.
- Implementation of policies to ensure accountability related to sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other harmful behaviors.
Related Article: NY: Sexual Assault Lawsuits Increase Due to Adult Survivors Act Deadline; Advocates Call for Extension
