The U.S. Coast Guard is facing severe scrutiny following allegations of a pervasive culture of sexual violence within its ranks, as detailed in 13 Federal Tort Claims Act administrative complaints. The former cadets involved claim they were sexually assaulted during their tenure at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Represented by Sanford Heisler Sharp and Maritime Legal Solutions, these complainants are initiating what is reported to be the first collective legal action addressing sexual violence at a U.S. service academy.
Christine Dunn of Sanford Heisler Sharp, who represents the complainants, expressed hope that the publicity surrounding these claims will empower other survivors to come forward. “I know that there are many, many more survivors out there who experienced sexual assault at the Coast Guard Academy and my hope is that with the publicity … other survivors will feel empowered to come forward and reach out to us,” Dunn said. “I believe that if there are enough people standing together making noise, it’s very hard to ignore.”
More details can be found in the original article on the Connecticut Law Tribune.