Sexual Assault at Sea

Workshop

Sexual Assault at Sea - Public Information Gathering Session

May 13, 2025

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (EDT)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

Speaker Bios

About

These sessions were the first public information gathering sessions organized by the Committee on Sexual Assault at Sea of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Topic areas for discussion related to responding to and supporting survivors of sexual assault; insights from the 2021 Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military; and perspectives from former US Coast Guard members on climate, culture, and the statement of task. Speakers included:

Stefanie Goebel, Survivor Advocacy Network, USNA Women
Lieutenant Commander Amy Zabel, US Navy
Major General James Johnson (Retired), US Air Force
Captain Leanne Lusk (Retired), US Coast Guard
Captain Andrea Marcille (Retired), US Coast Guard
Rear Admiral Cari Thomas (Retired), US Coast Guard

Additional public information gathering sessions will be held in 2025.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Not Closed

Contact

Committee on Law and Justice

claj@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Sexual Assault at Sea: Meeting 4

November 5 - 6, 2025

Past

About

The Committee on Sexual Assault at Sea held a closed session on Novemeber 5-6, 2025.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Alicia Carriquiry
Eric Barreras
Kelley Bonner
Noël Busch-Armendariz
Jacquelyn C. Campbell
Helena Chavez
Lilia Cortina
Krista Gile
Jenifer Markowitz
Sheridan Miyamoto
Alexis Piquero
Patricia Powers
Cassia Spohn
Patricia Tutalo
Julie Valentine

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Agenda topics

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

A briefing book was made available to the committee in closed session.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

November 13, 2025

Contact

Committee on Law and Justice

claj@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Sexual Assault at Sea - Public Information Gathering Session 3

September 23, 2025

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM (EDT)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

Speaker Biosketches

About

The congressionally mandated Committee on Sexual Assault at Sea held a public information gathering session on September 23, 2025.

The purpose of this session was to bring together representatives from victim advocacy organizations and/or those working to support survivors. Speakers shared insights from their work that are relevant to the committee’s ongoing review and assessment of existing evidence on challenges and prospective solutions associated with sexual assault at sea aboard Coast Guard vessels. Speakers reflected on how their organizations’ services and expertise intersect with the study’s statement of task, especially regarding survivor support, access to care, victim rights, and advocacy, in unique or isolated settings such as vessels at sea or while deployed away from home port.

The Committee chair also provided an update on another information gathering activity. She noted that on the third day of the August committee meeting, the Committee visited a US Coast Guard, 270’ medium endurance cutter in Portsmouth, VA. In discussion with the vessel’s Executive Officer and the region’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, the Committee learned about topics like vessel operations and processes for responding to sexual assault. The Committee saw parts of the vessel’s interior, including the galley and sickbay.

A second site visit to a vessel in Alameda, CA will occur in conjunction with the Committee’s fourth meeting.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Not Closed

Contact

Committee on Law and Justice

claj@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Sexual Assault at Sea: Meeting 3

August 27 - 29, 2025

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

The Committee on Sexual Assault at Sea held its third committee meeting August 27-29, 2025. The meeting consisted of open and closed sessions.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Alicia Carriquiry
Eric Barreras
Kelley Bonner
Noël Busch-Armendariz
Jacquelyn C. Campbell
Helena Chavez
Lilia Cortina
Krista Gile
Jenifer Markowitz
Sheridan Miyamoto
Patricia Powers
Cassia Spohn
Patricia Tutalo
Julie Valentine

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Day 1-2: Agenda Topics

Day 3: The committee visited a US Coast Guard, 270’ medium endurance cutter in Portsmouth, VA. In discussion with the vessel’s Executive Officer and the region’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, the committee learned about topics like vessel operations and processes for responding to sexual assault. The committee saw parts of the vessel’s interior, including the galley and sickbay. A second site visit to a vessel in Alameda, CA will occur in conjunction with the committee’s fourth meeting.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

A briefing book was made available to the committee in closed session.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

September 17, 2025

Contact

Committee on Law and Justice

claj@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Sexual Assault at Sea - Public Information Gathering Session 2

August 19, 2025

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM (EDT)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

The congressionally mandated Committee on Sexual Assault at Sea held a public information gathering session: Sexual assault prevention and response: Insights from existing models.

In this public session, the committee invited expert perspectives to share models of implementation for preventing and responding to sexual assault, including training. Topics of discussion included results from program implementation, challenges and opportunities to implementation, lessons learned, and insights that might be applicable to other contexts.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Not Closed

Contact

Committee on Law and Justice

(202) 334-1993

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Sexual Assault at Sea: Meeting 2

May 14, 2025

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (EDT)

Past

About

This was the second meeting of the congressionally mandated Committee on Sexual Assault at Sea. The committee met in closed session for part of May 13 and on May 14, 2025. Future information-gathering sessions may be held in 2025, and the committee's report is expected to be released in the summer of 2026.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Eric Barreras
Kelley Bonner
Noël Busch-Armendariz
Jacquelyn C. Campbell
Helena Chavez
Lilia Cortina
Krista Gile
Jenifer Markowitz
Sheridan Miyamoto
Patricia Powers
Cassia Spohn
Patricia Tutalo
Julie Valentine

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Agenda topics

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

A briefing book was made available to the committee in closed session.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

May 27, 2025

Contact

Committee on Law and Justice

claj@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Sexual Assault at Sea: Meeting 1

March 3 - 4, 2025

Past

Materials

Captain Hilger_USCG Presentation

About

This was the first committee meeting of the Committee on Sexual Assault at Sea.

• The committee met in a closed session on March 3-4, 2025 and hosted a public information-gathering session on sponsor interests and invited perspectives on March 3, 2025, from 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm ET.

• In the virtual, public information-gathering session, speakers from the United States Coast Guard, who provided support for the study, discussed the study's goals and provided perspectives on the study task.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Eric Barreras
Kelley Bonner
Noel Busch-Armendariz
Alicia Carriquiry
Helena Chavez
Lilia Cortina
Jenifer Markowitz
Sheridan Miyamoto
Patricia Powers
Cassia Spohn
Patricia Tutalo
Julie Valentine
Jacquelyn Campbell
Alexis Piquero
Krista Gile
Patricia Powers

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The committee discussed its composition, including members’ professional backgrounds and relevant relationships. They also discussed plans for future information-gathering, including possible speakers, the study statement of task, and a potential organizing framework for the report.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

A briefing book was made available to the committee in closed session.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

March 05, 2025

Contact

Committee on Law and Justice

claj@nas.edu

Location

Keck Center

500 5th St NW

Washington DC 20001, USA

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

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Sexual Assault at Sea

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