Survey Shows
Sexual Harassment and Assault
Policies
Working at Military Prep Schools
by Dan Perkins
based on a
AFPS News Article
Incidents
of gender harassment and sexual assault are down
at the U.S. military service academies according
to a report published by the Defense Manpower
Data Center (DMDC).
On December 22, the DMDC issued the “Service
Academy 2005 Sexual Harassment and Assault
Survey” report, which documents incidents of
sexual harassment and sexual assault at three
military service academies. The annual survey
is mandated by congress and polls men and women
attending the Air Force Academy at
Colorado Springs, Colorado; the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point, New York; and the
U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.
This year’s survey was conducted between June
2004 and April 2005, and polled 2,033 women and
3,269 men at all three preparatory schools.
The survey found that Air Force cadets had lower
incident rates of sexual coercion (rape), sexual
harassment, and overall sexist behavior than
were reported by students at the other two
schools. The difference was attributed to the
Air Force Academy’s emphasis on providing
preventative training so students can recognize
and report sexual harassment or sexual related
assaults. In 2002, the Air Force Academy was
rocked by a series of allegations of gender
harassment and sexual assault by female
students.
Nearly all of the students polled this year at
the three service academies received training on
identifying or reported sexual assault. Among
those polled, 78 to 88 of believed their
training has helped to reduce sexual harassment
and assault. This year’s survey found that
actual sexual assault rates at all three
academies were 5 percent for women and 1 percent
for men, which are similar to percentages of
sexual assaults found in both the active-duty
military and reserve populations, and with
college age civilian populations.
The military prepatory schools are now included
in the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s)
sexual harassment and sexual assault training
programs. According to a DoD news release,
during the 2005 academic year, the academies
expanded and enhanced programs to prevent sexual
harassment and assault, improve care for victims
and increase system accountability. The schools
also implemented a new, comprehensive
anti-sexual-assault policy, and expanded
training to include staff and faculty.
The undersecretary of defense for personnel and
readiness, David S. Chu, responded to the
survey’s findings in the DoD release. He said,
“We are reviewing the findings carefully, and
examining our policies, programs, and leadership
efforts to determine how incidents of harassment
and assault can be prevented and to ensure we
respond effectively if they do occur.”
The End
This news brief is based on a
AFPS article, "Cadets, Midshipmen See Less
Harassment, Survey Says," by Gerry J. Gilmore,
released 12/27/2005.
