Coast Guard: Information Needed To Assess the Extent of Sexual Assaults on Ships
RCED-89-59
Published: Dec 29, 1988. Publicly Released: Jan 30, 1989.
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Highlights
In response to a congressional request, GAO provided information regarding sexual assaults on women in the U.S. merchant marine, specifically: (1) the number of women documented, licensed, and working in the U.S. merchant marine and selected other occupations; (2) the number of shipboard sexual assaults on women reported to government agencies in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska; and (3) whether the Department of Transportation should change laws and regulations relating to such assaults.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Transportation | The Secretary of Transportation should direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to require that masters of vessels or other responsible officials promptly report to the Coast Guard any complaint of a criminal sexual offense covered by the Sexual Abuse Act of 1986 as soon as possible following its occurrence or report of its occurrence. |
The enactment of section 214 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1989, P.L. 101-225, December 12, 1989, made the requirement a U.S. law.
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Topics
Crime preventionCrime victimsInformation systemsMerchant marineMerchant marine officersReporting requirementsSex crimesTerritorial watersMerchant vesselsMilitary forces