WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, made the following remarks, as prepared for delivery, on the Subcommittee's hearing titled "Overview of the Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies." For testimony and to watch the hearing click here.
"I want to welcome everyone to this afternoon’s Military Personnel Subcommittee hearing. The purpose of today’s hearing is to receive an overview of the annual report on sexual harassment and violence at the military service academies and to understand the ongoing efforts the academies have undertaken to prevent sexual assault. We will also have the privilege of hearing from survivors of sexual assault who were assaulted while attending a military service academy, and we thank them for being here today.
The Nation and the military continue to battle the scourge of sexual assault. These despicable crimes cause deep and enduring suffering to the victims and their families, and violate our fundamental values.
When these crimes occur in the military, the effects can be even more damaging. Service members must have absolute trust and confidence in their fellow service members in order to accomplish their difficult mission. Cadets and midshipmen at the military service academies are told from the beginning of their tenure that the only way to succeed at the academy is to work as a team, and place their trust in each other. But when a cadet takes advantage of that trust in order to assault another, the sense of betrayal is profound, and the impact is often felt by the victim and the entire unit. These crimes have no place in our society, much less in our preeminent military service academies.
Over the last several years, the military service academies have dedicated numerous resources and time to improving sexual assault prevention and response. The service academies have integrated sexual assault prevention and values-based training into nearly every aspect of their curriculum, ensuring that the military’s future officers internalize the military’s values before being commissioned. In addition, the service academies have worked hard to ensure that all allegations are thoroughly investigated and perpetrators are held accountable, while also ensuring survivors of sexual assault have access to vital resources.
Despite all of these efforts, there remains much work to be done. This year’s report shows that prevalence rates have increased at all service academies, while reports of sexual assault have decreased at one of the Service Academies. In addition, the significant prevalence of sexual harassment, a data point that is new to the survey, shows that additional work is needed.
We will hear from two panels this afternoon. In panel one, we are honored to have with us survivors of sexual assault. I want to thank the witnesses for their bravery in testifying today, and I appreciate how difficult it is to talk about this subject. Your testimony will give all of us important insights into how the service academies and the military can improve sexual assault prevention and response.
In our second panel, we will hear from the Department of Defense and the Superintendents of the military service academies. I look forward to hearing their views on the results of the sexual assault report, and I also look forward to hearing about the new and existing programs at the service academies designed to prevent sexual assault."