New report gives latest statistics on sexual assault, harassment at United States Merchant Marine Academy
A report by the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point provides new statistics about the number of sexual assault and harassment allegations from cadets in the past four academic years. Credit: Howard Schnapp
Cadets at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point reported more than two dozen incidents of alleged sexual assault in the past four academic years and 35 allegations of sexual or gender-based harassment, stalking or relationship violence, according to a new report.
The 23-page university report, which outlines steps taken by USMMA and the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration to combat sexual assault and harassment, provides the most comprehensive accounting to date about the extent of sexual misconduct allegations that have rattled one of the nation's five federal service academies — and the first to admit women.
USMMA midshipmen reported 26 allegations of sexual assault to the school between July 1, 2019 and Dec. 15, 2022, according to the report, which was presented to House and Senate lawmakers Thursday. Among the allegations, six cases reported in the 2019/20 academic year; nine in the 2020/21 academic year; six in the 2021/22 academic year and five thus far in the 2022/23 academic year. Twenty of the cadets were women, five were men and one individual's gender was not known. At least nine alleged sexual assaults occurred while cadets were on sea duty, others allegedly happened either on or off-campus or the location was not identified.
In an interview, Lucinda Lessley, deputy administrator of the Maritime Administration in Washington D.C., which oversees USMMA, said the report did not draw any conclusions or trends.
"The data is the data," she said. "We are focused on taking every step that we can to improve safety and to remove barriers to reporting.”
Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who co-sponsored legislation included in last year's defense authorization bill addressing sexual misconduct at the school, told Newsday in a statement that additional changes may be needed at the school to protect midshipmen.
"It remains clear," Gillibrand said, "that serious cultural and structural issues persist at the academy and at sea."
The bulk of the cases — 21 in total — are classified as "restricted," meaning the incident was disclosed to a sexual assault response coordinator or victim advocate. Medical treatment and counseling was offered but no official investigation was requested. The five "unrestricted" sexual assault claims each resulted in an administrative investigation and the option for the victim to notify law enforcement. The report does not indicate how many cases resulted in criminal investigations.
Two of the alleged perpetrators in unrestricted cases later left USMMA; one shipping crew member was demoted; one prompted a Coast Guard Investigative Services investigation and the result of the fifth investigation is not known.
Another 35 victims — 22 women and 13 men — reported sexual, gender or cyber harassment, relationship violence or stalking.
They include 13 "restricted" reports and 22 "unrestricted" reports, which resulted in two individuals leaving the school; one case being referred to the FBI; another to the Coast Guard and administration action taken against a crew member. The remainder of the allegations were either found to be unsubstantiated, that not enough evidence existed to take action, or the result of the investigation was not known, according to the report.
USMMA, which trains cadets to be midshipmen working on deep sea vessels and in the military, has been the subject of multiple complaints of sexual abuse and harassment dating back nearly a decade.
The allegations twice prompted the suspension of the Sea Year program, in which midshipmen are required to complete more than 300 days of work on commercial vessels in international waters — first in 2016 and again in November 2021.
The most recent suspension was lifted in December 2021. It was prompted after Hope Hicks, then a USMMA cadet, reported, anonymously at the time, to a whistleblower website that an engineering supervisor 40 years her senior plied her with alcohol, waited until she was incapacitated and raped her on a commercial ship in 2019. Hicks disclosed her identity after filing a lawsuit against shipping giant Maersk. She settled the suit in November.
Christine Dunn, Hick's Washington, D.C.-based attorney, said the number of sexual assaults at USMMA is undoubtedly higher than what's been reported.
"Many of the sexual assault and harassment cases, especially what's going on at sea, are not being reported," Dunn said. "So I think those numbers are really underestimated."
Laura Ahearn, executive director of the Crime Victims Center in Ronkonkoma, agreed.
"Sexual assault and relationship violence is vastly underreported, even more so on college campuses where only 20% ever report being victimized," Ahearn said.
Hicks' disclosure prompted implementation of the Every Mariner Builds a Respectful Culture program in December 2021, which dictates policies that vessel operators must implement to prevent sexual misconduct. They include controlling access to the vessel's master keys, and ensuring there are working locks on cadets’ stateroom doors and that they have a contact at the carriers’ corporate offices to discuss areas of concern.
Shipping companies must be enrolled in the program, which was later codified into federal law, before they're permitted to train USMMA cadets. A total of 16 commercial vessel companies are enrolled in program, also known by the acronym EMBARC.
USMMA now also issues satellite phones and texting devices to cadets before going to sea and expanded its amnesty policy allowing students to report misconduct without facing discipline for actions such as drinking.
The Academy also created a director position for its new Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office and signed an agreement allowing local law enforcement to investigate crimes committed on campus.
"We do recognize, and I think the report makes clear, that these are just first steps," Lessley said. "We're committed to continuous review and improvement of our policies and procedures."
Cadets at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point reported more than two dozen incidents of alleged sexual assault in the past four academic years and 35 allegations of sexual or gender-based harassment, stalking or relationship violence, according to a new report.
The 23-page university report, which outlines steps taken by USMMA and the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration to combat sexual assault and harassment, provides the most comprehensive accounting to date about the extent of sexual misconduct allegations that have rattled one of the nation's five federal service academies — and the first to admit women.
Allegations over four years
USMMA midshipmen reported 26 allegations of sexual assault to the school between July 1, 2019 and Dec. 15, 2022, according to the report, which was presented to House and Senate lawmakers Thursday. Among the allegations, six cases reported in the 2019/20 academic year; nine in the 2020/21 academic year; six in the 2021/22 academic year and five thus far in the 2022/23 academic year. Twenty of the cadets were women, five were men and one individual's gender was not known. At least nine alleged sexual assaults occurred while cadets were on sea duty, others allegedly happened either on or off-campus or the location was not identified.
In an interview, Lucinda Lessley, deputy administrator of the Maritime Administration in Washington D.C., which oversees USMMA, said the report did not draw any conclusions or trends.
What to know
- A new report gives the latest statistics on the number of sexual assault and harassment over the past four academic years at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point.
- The 23-page university report, which outlines steps taken by USMMA and the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration to combat sexual assault and harassment.
- The academy has been the subject of multiple complaints of sexual abuse and harassment dating back nearly a decade.
"The data is the data," she said. "We are focused on taking every step that we can to improve safety and to remove barriers to reporting.”
Serious problems
Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who co-sponsored legislation included in last year's defense authorization bill addressing sexual misconduct at the school, told Newsday in a statement that additional changes may be needed at the school to protect midshipmen.
"It remains clear," Gillibrand said, "that serious cultural and structural issues persist at the academy and at sea."
The bulk of the cases — 21 in total — are classified as "restricted," meaning the incident was disclosed to a sexual assault response coordinator or victim advocate. Medical treatment and counseling was offered but no official investigation was requested. The five "unrestricted" sexual assault claims each resulted in an administrative investigation and the option for the victim to notify law enforcement. The report does not indicate how many cases resulted in criminal investigations.
Two of the alleged perpetrators in unrestricted cases later left USMMA; one shipping crew member was demoted; one prompted a Coast Guard Investigative Services investigation and the result of the fifth investigation is not known.
Another 35 victims — 22 women and 13 men — reported sexual, gender or cyber harassment, relationship violence or stalking.
They include 13 "restricted" reports and 22 "unrestricted" reports, which resulted in two individuals leaving the school; one case being referred to the FBI; another to the Coast Guard and administration action taken against a crew member. The remainder of the allegations were either found to be unsubstantiated, that not enough evidence existed to take action, or the result of the investigation was not known, according to the report.
USMMA, which trains cadets to be midshipmen working on deep sea vessels and in the military, has been the subject of multiple complaints of sexual abuse and harassment dating back nearly a decade.
Sea Year-program suspension
The allegations twice prompted the suspension of the Sea Year program, in which midshipmen are required to complete more than 300 days of work on commercial vessels in international waters — first in 2016 and again in November 2021.
The most recent suspension was lifted in December 2021. It was prompted after Hope Hicks, then a USMMA cadet, reported, anonymously at the time, to a whistleblower website that an engineering supervisor 40 years her senior plied her with alcohol, waited until she was incapacitated and raped her on a commercial ship in 2019. Hicks disclosed her identity after filing a lawsuit against shipping giant Maersk. She settled the suit in November.
Christine Dunn, Hick's Washington, D.C.-based attorney, said the number of sexual assaults at USMMA is undoubtedly higher than what's been reported.
"Many of the sexual assault and harassment cases, especially what's going on at sea, are not being reported," Dunn said. "So I think those numbers are really underestimated."
Laura Ahearn, executive director of the Crime Victims Center in Ronkonkoma, agreed.
"Sexual assault and relationship violence is vastly underreported, even more so on college campuses where only 20% ever report being victimized," Ahearn said.
Hicks' disclosure prompted implementation of the Every Mariner Builds a Respectful Culture program in December 2021, which dictates policies that vessel operators must implement to prevent sexual misconduct. They include controlling access to the vessel's master keys, and ensuring there are working locks on cadets’ stateroom doors and that they have a contact at the carriers’ corporate offices to discuss areas of concern.
Shipping companies must be enrolled in the program, which was later codified into federal law, before they're permitted to train USMMA cadets. A total of 16 commercial vessel companies are enrolled in program, also known by the acronym EMBARC.
USMMA now also issues satellite phones and texting devices to cadets before going to sea and expanded its amnesty policy allowing students to report misconduct without facing discipline for actions such as drinking.
The Academy also created a director position for its new Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office and signed an agreement allowing local law enforcement to investigate crimes committed on campus.
"We do recognize, and I think the report makes clear, that these are just first steps," Lessley said. "We're committed to continuous review and improvement of our policies and procedures."
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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