Thirteen former cadets at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy have filed complaints seeking $10 million each in damages, alleging that the school failed to prevent sexual violence on campus and engaged in a cover-up. The cadets, who reported being sexually assaulted at the academy from the 1980s to recent years, have lodged administrative complaints under the Federal Tort Claims Act against the Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Transportation.
The former cadets claim that inadequate policies and practices at the academy allowed sexual violence to persist unchecked, with officials allegedly concealing the extent of sexual assault and harassment. In response, Coast Guard officials have stated their commitment to improving prevention, victim support, and accountability, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault and harassment within the service.
