Sexual Harassment is Worse in the Navy and Marine Corps– Here’s Why
Sexual Harassment is Significantly Higher in the Navy and Marine Corps
The incidence of sexual harassment in the Navy and the Marine Corps is significantly higher than in the Army and the Air Force, according to a 2021 annual report.
In the Marine Corps, over 40% of women report being subjected to sexual harassment. In the Navy, almost 35% of women are sexually harassed. In the Army and Air Force, these figures are 27% and 20% respectively.
The Navy also has the largest number of men who experience sexual harassment of the services, at almost 9%.
But Why?
Why are the Navy and Marine Corps especially bad at preventing sexual harassment? Some might attribute this to cultural differences between the services. But The DoD Inspector General (IG) found poor management and policy controls, identifying the following issues:
- The Navy and Marines don’t require officials to submit documentation showing their reasoning for dismissing, downgrading, and withdrawing sexual harassment complaints. This leaves room for complaints to be dismissed spuriously, allowing harassment to continue and flourish in the ranks.
- Policies don’t require even the most serious allegations to be investigated. No policy exists that requires even the worst complaints to be investigated. Serious complaints include allegations of criminal sexual conduct and career influence in exchange for sexual favors.
- There are no training programs for investigating officers. For this reason, investigating officers are often unable to conduct thorough and effective investigations.
- There are no requirements for Naval and Marine Corps commanders to report relevant data on sexual harassment programs. This leaves the upper echelon of the two services blind to the seriousness of sexual harassment and unable to design effective intervention programs.
Demand for Corrective Action
Sexual harassment and assault prevention is a top priority for the military.
“Sexual harassment undermines the dignity and well-being of individuals and hinders productivity and morale… By prioritizing sexual harassment prevention and response, the DoD upholds its commitment to a fair and inclusive workplace that helps ensure mission success,” said DoD IG Robert Storch in the press release accompanying the release of the new report.
The report contains five open recommendations and demands that the Navy and Marine Corps develop a plan for corrective actions within 30 days.
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