Merchant Marine Academy cadet details sexual assault allegations – Featured

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A Merchant Marine Academy cadet described sexual assault allegations in an online account in September. (Photo by Janelle Clausen)

A cadet at the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point alleged that she was sexually assaulted by an engineering supervisor during her Sea Year training in an account submitted to Maritime Legal Aid & Advocacy.

The younger, whose name was not disclosed in the account, said she was a 19-year-old virgin at the time of the alleged incident when she was assaulted by the 60-year-old supervisor, whose name was also not disclosed. The supervisor who raped her, she said, made derogatory comments to her and other women on the ship.

He was creepy, gave me romantic passes and made rude and humiliating comments about me in front of other members of the engine department, according to the account. It was a tough working environment, to say the least, and not what I expected Sea Year to look like.

After about 50 days at sea, the ship entered a Middle Eastern port where officers bought a lot of alcohol, according to the caddy. She said she was forced to drink alcohol by older men and supervisors on the ship.

The younger sister said her male partner from the sea loved to drink and felt extra pressure to fit in, despite not having drunk alcohol until arriving at the academy.

As soon as I arrived the engineers started forcing me and my maritime partner to drink alcohol, she said. They were like animals, drinking straight from liquor bottles, doing hit after hit, being extremely annoying, screaming and laughing and making a lot of noise, and practically punching us in the throat.

As she continued to drink, the caddy said, her sea partner fell ill and was taken back to her room. The youngest said she passed out shortly after, taking about 8-10 more shots of alcohol. The next morning, she woke up naked in bed with a huge hangover and noticed blood on her sheets.

I knew immediately that I had been raped, said the cadet. I was a virgin and had run away, and as soon as I woke up I could feel that I was in great pain and that I knew exactly what had happened.

The younger sister said she had memories of the moment she passed out, including the engineering supervisor above her and forcing her to kiss him and perform oral sex. She said the supervisor denied the incident and told her no one will ever believe you.

The younger, now senior, said of the 50 women in her class, she knew at least five who were raped during their maritime year.

Merchant Navy Academy Assistant Secretary Polly Trottenberg and Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley said in a statement that the cadet has their unwavering support and that although the resources are provided by the academy after these events occur, it is important to prevent them from happening in the first place. .

We have zero tolerance for sexual assault and sexual harassment at USMMA and in the shipping industry, the statement said. As we determine the appropriate actions required to increase and ensure the safety of our aspirants, we are committed to listening and working closely with the wider community of Kings Point.

U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) also released a joint statement saying steps must be taken to stop incidents of sexual assault or harassment during that cadets receive their training. .

We must ensure that incidents of sexual harassment and assault are reported and prioritized, and that every cadet feels safe, whether on campus or at sea, the statement said. We will continue to work closely with the Merchant Marine Academy to put systems in place to ensure complete and timely reporting.

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