DOD Service Academies: More Actions Needed to Eliminate Sexual Harassment

Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed sexual harassment at the three military service academies, focusing on the: (1) frequency of sexual harassment incidents, the various forms of sexual harassment, and its effects on the victims; and (2) academies' efforts to eradicate sexual harassment.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
United States Air Force Academy	To better achieve the DOD goal of a sexual harassment-free environment, the academy superintendents should gather and analyze data, through routine reviews of case files, student surveys, and focus groups, on the extent of reported and unreported incidents of sexual harassment.	Closed – Implemented The Air Force Academy has put in place a process for reviewing the sexual harassment climate on a periodic basis.
United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD	To better achieve the DOD goal of a sexual harassment-free environment, the academy superintendents should gather and analyze data, through routine reviews of case files, student surveys, and focus groups, on the extent of reported and unreported incidents of sexual harassment.	Closed – Implemented The Naval Academy has put in place a process for reviewing the sexual harassment climate on a periodic basis.
United States Military Academy at West Point	To better achieve the DOD goal of a sexual harassment-free environment, the academy superintendents should gather and analyze data, through routine reviews of case files, student surveys, and focus groups, on the extent of reported and unreported incidents of sexual harassment.	Closed – Implemented The Military Academy has put in place a process for reviewing the sexual harassment climate on a periodic basis.
United States Air Force Academy	To better achieve the DOD goal of a sexual harassment-free environment, the academy superintendents should evaluate, on a systematic basis, the effectiveness of sexual harassment eradication programs on the basis of such data.	Closed – Implemented The Air Force Academy has put in place a process to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of its program to eliminate sexual harassment.
United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD	To better achieve the DOD goal of a sexual harassment-free environment, the academy superintendents should evaluate, on a systematic basis, the effectiveness of sexual harassment eradication programs on the basis of such data.	Closed – Implemented The Naval Academy has put in place a process to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of its program to eliminate sexual harassment.
United States Military Academy at West Point	To better achieve the DOD goal of a sexual harassment-free environment, the academy superintendents should evaluate, on a systematic basis, the effectiveness of sexual harassment eradication programs on the basis of such data.	Closed – Implemented The Military Academy has put in place a process to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of its program to eliminate sexual harassment.
United States Air Force Academy	To better achieve the DOD goal of a sexual harassment-free environment, the academy superintendents should, if the eradication programs do not prove to be effective, institute and evaluate new approaches to work toward eradicating sexual harassment. These approaches may include expanding the explanation of behaviors that could constitute sexual harassment, issuing sexual harassment pamphlets or brochures, offering lower risk confrontation options, and varying the methods and content of training.	Closed – Implemented Alternative additional methods for dealing with and eradicating sexual harassment have been added as an agenda item for the annual superintendents' conference.
United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD	To better achieve the DOD goal of a sexual harassment-free environment, the academy superintendents should, if the eradication programs do not prove to be effective, institute and evaluate new approaches to work toward eradicating sexual harassment. These approaches may include expanding the explanation of behaviors that could constitute sexual harassment, issuing sexual harassment pamphlets or brochures, offering lower risk confrontation options, and varying the methods and content of training.	Closed – Implemented Alternative additional methods for dealing with and eradicating sexual harassment have been added as an agenda item for the annual superintendents' conference.
United States Military Academy at West Point	To better achieve the DOD goal of a sexual harassment-free environment, the academy superintendents should, if the eradication programs do not prove to be effective, institute and evaluate new approaches to work toward eradicating sexual harassment. These approaches may include expanding the explanation of behaviors that could constitute sexual harassment, issuing sexual harassment pamphlets or brochures, offering lower risk confrontation options, and varying the methods and content of training.	Closed – Implemented Alternative additional methods for dealing with and eradicating sexual harassment have been added as an agenda item for the annual superintendents' conference.

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