U.S. Coast Guard Academy Students Seek $130 Million Over Alleged Sexual Assaults

By Diana Novak Jones

More than a dozen former students of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy have come forward with allegations of sexual assault, filing complaints on Thursday and seeking $130 million in damages. They accuse the academy of allowing a culture of sexual violence to persist without adequate response for nearly four decades.

The group, consisting of 12 women and one man, submitted administrative claims to the U.S. Coast Guard, alleging that the academy in New London, Connecticut, enabled sexual abusers and neglected to protect victims or offer them recourse. Each claimant is seeking $10 million in damages, according to attorney Christine Dunn, who represents the individuals.

This situation has drawn heightened scrutiny over the past year following a media report that suggested the Coast Guard covered up decades of abuse. A Senate subcommittee found that victims faced shaming and that perpetrators were not adequately addressed.

The complaints stem from a federal law requiring administrative filings before a lawsuit can be initiated. A spokesperson for the Coast Guard stated that they are unable to comment on specific complaints but confirmed their commitment to resolving issues in accordance with federal law. The spokesperson emphasized the service’s dedication to protecting its workforce, mentioning significant resources being allocated towards prevention, victim support, and accountability.

According to Dunn, the claims involve assaults that date back to the mid-1980s and continue to the present. Although federal law typically restricts the filing of complaints to within two years of an incident, Dunn argues that her clients were not aware of the Coast Guard’s potential liability for their abuse until last year.

In December, a U.S. Senate subcommittee held a hearing regarding the abuse allegations at the academy, which followed a report that claimed the Coast Guard concealed an internal investigation revealing a history of abuse.

Last month, the subcommittee published a report indicating that the Coast Guard’s culture of shaming discouraged victims from coming forward, and that victims often did not receive necessary medical care while perpetrators were not dealt with appropriately.

In June, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan acknowledged before the subcommittee that the agency had at times “failed to ensure a culture that is safe for all.”