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Friday 18 February 2022

Sexual assault reports increase at U.S. military academies

From Front not left early. In addition, The latest increase comes
the number of reported as- as Defense Secretary Lloyd
By LOLITA C. BALDOR saults in 2020-21 was also Austin and other leaders
Associated Press higher than the pre-pan- struggle to curb sexual as-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- demic school year of 2018- saults across the military,
ported sexual assaults at 19. amid escalating criticism
the U.S. military academies According to the Pentagon from Capitol Hill.
increased sharply during report released Thursday, Lawmaker are demanding
the 2020-21 school year, the overall jump in cases better prevention efforts
as students returned to in- was driven by increases and more aggressive pros-
person classes during the at the Air Force Academy ecutions.
coronavirus pandemic. and the U.S. Military Acad- Austin and others have
The increase continues emy at West Point. There acknowledged that while
what officials believe is an were 131 assaults reported they continue to study what
upward trend at the acad- by cadets or midshipmen in works and what doesn’t,
emies, despite an influx of 2020-21, compared with 88 United States Military Academy graduating cadets march to they haven’t yet found the
new sexual assault preven- the previous year and 122 their graduation ceremony of the U.S. Military Academy class answers.
tion and treatment pro- a year earlier. 2021 at Michie Stadium on May 22, 2021, in West Point, N.Y. Nate Galbreath, acting di-
grams. Of the 131, cadets at the Associated Press rector of the Pentagon’s
Comparing the totals over Air Force Academy in Col- sexual assault prevention
the past three years, how- orado reported 52 assaults, office, said the depart-
ever, is tricky. The num- compared with 46 at West ment and encourage in- assaults, and at times stu- ment is encouraged that
ber of reports dropped at Point in New York and 33 at tervention when they see dents will come forward students are more willing to
all the academies during the U.S. Naval Academy in questionable behavior. to talk about unwanted come forward and report
the pandemic-shortened Maryland. “West Point is working hard sexual contact that hap- assaults, allowing victims
2019-20 school year, when During a visit to West Point to increase cadets’ trust in pened in the years before to get help and perpetra-
in-person classes were can- earlier this month, Army their reporting system while they started school there. If tors to be held account-
celed and students were Secretary Christine Wor- at the same time prevent- those episodes of unwant- able. But the leaders across
sent home in the spring to muth met with academy ing events from happen- ed sexual contact are in- the military said they are
finish the semester online. leaders, staff members and ing in the first place,” Wor- cluded, as well as those in- also very concerned that
Although there were fewer cadets and talked about muth said, adding that volving students but report- the trends are going in the
reports that year than the the sexual assault problem. West Point has increased ed by individuals outside wrong direction, and Gal-
previous year, one senior She said they talked about resources for victims “to en- the schools, the total sexual breath said that while there
defense official said that the so-called Trust Program, sure the academy handles assault reports for 2020-21 is is an unprecedented atten-
based on trends the total which is led by cadets and each case with care.” 161. That also is an increase tion on the problem right
likely would have shown helps train them to address Victims at the academies over the pre-pandemic now, there is “still much
an increase if students had sexual assault and harass- are encouraged to report year, when there were 148. more work to be done.”q

Senate launches group to examine

embattled U.S. prison system

reau of Prisons following The group plans to exam- tivity among employees,
reporting by The Associ- ine the conditions of incar- systemic sexual abuse at
ated Press that uncovered ceration inside America’s a federal women’s prison
widespread corruption and 122 federal prisons, protect in California, critically low
abuse in federal prisons. human rights and promote staffing levels that have
The working group, be- transparency. The chair- hampered responses to
ing led by Sen. Jon Ossoff, man of the Senate Judi- emergencies, the rapid
D-Ga., and Sen. Mike Braun, ciary Committee, Sen. Dick spread of COVID-19, a
R-Ind., is aimed at develop- Durbin, D-Ill., also will be failed response to the pan-
Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., takes a question from a reporter during ing policies and proposals part of the group. demic and dozens of es-
a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sept. 28, 2021. to strengthen oversight of The federal prison system, capes. And late last month,
Associated Press the beleaguered federal a hotbed of corruption two inmates were killed
By MICHAEL BALSAMO and U.S. Senate is launching a prison system and improve and misconduct, has been in a gang clash at a fed-
MICHAEL R. SISAK bipartisan working group communication between plagued by myriad crises eral penitentiary in Texas,
Associated Press of lawmakers to scrutinize the Bureau of Prisons and in recent years, including prompting a nationwide
WASHINGTON (AP) — The conditions within the Bu- Congress. widespread criminal ac- lockdown.q