Academy Sets Rule in Sex Cases

A top Air Force Academy commander said Thursday that cadets who report sexual assaults will no longer be given confidentiality, so that their claims can be more easily investigated.

Col. Debra Gray, the vice commandant in charge of handling assault cases, said the change was necessary because the Air Force cannot risk having criminals in the ranks.

“We are different than a regular company,” she said in an interview with Associated Press, noting that officers make life-or-death decisions.

Confidentiality has emerged as a key issue since the academy was plunged into a sexual assault scandal earlier this year.

Air Force officials have said they didn’t know how bad the problem was, in part because reported assaults were kept under wraps. But victims’ advocates and civilian investigators appointed by Congress say that denying confidentiality will discourage victims from coming forward.

Scott Berkowitz, president and founder of the Rape, Incest & Abuse National Network, praised the efforts of academy commanders but criticized the decision to deny confidentiality.

“What they are trying do is the right thing, but the end result is the victim doesn’t come forward,” he said. “Not only does the rapist stay in the system, but the victim doesn’t get the help she needs.”

Some victims in the 142 assault cases reported at the school since 1993 said they were punished for rules violations that turned up during investigations of their cases.

A new policy that would give victims amnesty for rules infractions is expected to be in place soon.

Gray said a three-member team will meet with each accuser: a victim’s advocate, a judge advocate general’s representative and a member of the Air Force security service. Gray will be informed of but not participate in the meetings.