Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Ensure Complete and Timely Reports to Congress Regarding Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment
Fast Facts
Sexual misconduct within the Coast Guard has been a longstanding issue. For example, the service reported 226 sexual assaults in fiscal year 2022.
The Coast Guard has committed to more transparency in its reporting, and is legally required to inform Congress annually about members' misconduct.
But its 2022 report didn't include all required information—including cases involving retaliation threats against victims—and was a year late. The Coast Guard also didn’t fully follow its own procedures for compiling the report and used outdated requirements.
We recommended the Coast Guard ensure that future reports are complete and issued on time.
A notebook, pair of glasses, pen, and clipboard on a desk. The clipboard has a piece of paper that says Sexual Harassment complaint form on it.
Highlights
What GAO Found
The problems of sexual assault and sexual harassment at the U.S. Coast Guard are not new. In its most recent report to Congress on this issue, covering fiscal year 2022, the Coast Guard reported 226 incidents of sexual assault and 88 incidents of sexual harassment. This report is required by law but fully included only 5 of the 11 required elements, partially included 4 of them, and did not include 2. Further, the Coast Guard submitted this report about 1 year late. The report covering fiscal year 2023 was due on January 15, 2024 and the report covering fiscal year 2024 was due on January 15, 2025. Both remained unissued, as of December 2025.
Comparison of U.S. Coast Guard’s Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment to Statutory Reporting Requirements
The Coast Guard’s process for compiling the annual report did not fully follow its own procedures. According to these procedures, cognizant program and legal offices are to conduct reviews. The service used outdated statutory language and templates with deficiencies over multiple years, raising questions about whether the legal review was sufficient. By ensuring that it addresses all required sexual assault and sexual harassment reporting requirements and meets the statutory deadline, the Coast Guard could better communicate complete and quality information for decision-making and oversight, and increase transparency to Congress on incidents of sexual assault and sexual harassment.
Why GAO Did This Study
Since 2010, the Coast Guard has been required by law to submit an annual report to Congress on reported incidents of sexual assault and, since 2018, sexual harassment involving members of the Coast Guard.
GAO was asked to review the Coast Guard’s process for annually reporting on sexual assault and sexual harassment to Congress. This report examines (1) the Coast Guard’s processes to identify and compile sexual assault and sexual harassment data, and (2) the extent to which the Coast Guard ensures that it reports on instances of sexual assault and sexual harassment to Congress as required.
GAO reviewed Coast Guard documentation on its processes for identifying and compiling sexual assault and sexual harassment data. GAO analyzed the extent to which the sexual assault and sexual harassment report for fiscal year 2022—the most recent year available—incorporated required elements by comparing them to the law (14 U.S.C. § 5112). GAO also interviewed Coast Guard officials from headquarters and from 5 of 9 Coast Guard districts.
Recommendations
GAO is recommending that the Coast Guard ensure that (1) annual sexual assault and sexual harassment reports to Congress address all required elements and (2) the reports are issued on time. DHS concurred with the recommendations and stated that the Coast Guard will ensure that the annual reports address all required elements and are timely.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| United States Coast Guard | The Commandant of the Coast Guard should ensure that annual sexual assault and sexual harassment reports address all required elements, including requirements that have changed since the prior report. (Recommendation 1) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| United States Coast Guard | The Commandant of the Coast Guard should ensure that annual sexual assault and sexual harassment reports are issued on time. (Recommendation 2) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|