CIA Announces Changes to Handling of Sexual Assault and Harassment Allegations

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The Central Intelligence Agency this week announced several steps it will take to respond to allegations of internal sexual assault and harassment, which have recently come under congressional scrutiny and sparked scrutiny by the dog. custody of the agency.

Several victims have contacted the Senate and House Intelligence Committees to complain about the agency’s handling of conduct complaints, citing, for example, potential barriers to filing criminal complaints with law enforcement.

On Thursday, the CIA announced the appointment of Dr. Taleeta Jackson, a veteran psychologist who most recently headed the US Navy’s sexual assault prevention program, as the new head of an office dedicated to sexual assault and prevention at the CIA. It will also establish an internal task force which will be advised by external experts and plans to issue new incident reporting guidelines by the end of May.

“I have personally met with several affected officers to hear their concerns and solicit their feedback on ways to improve ourselves as an agency,” CIA Director William Burns said in a statement. “I have heard these concerns loud and clear, and Dr. Jackson’s appointment is just one of many steps we are taking to address them.”

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“Further reforms are to come,” he said. “We have to get it right.”

The Senate and House Intelligence Committees recently contacted the CIA over complaints by employees about its alleged mismanagement of affairs.

In April, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner of Virginia and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio of Florida wrote to Robin Ashton, the CIA Inspector General, expressing concern over “a number” of allegations of sexual assault and harassment which had been brought to the attention of the committee. and would have been “grossly manhandled” by the CIA. The senators have called for the opening of an investigation.

“Sexual harassment is unacceptable in any workplace,” Warner said. “The Senate Intelligence Committee will continue to monitor this closely.”

Several CIA employees have also contacted the House Intelligence Committee since the start of the year, according to Politico, which first reported the committee’s review of the cases.

“Sexual assault and sexual harassment have no place in the intelligence community. We must protect our men and women who bravely serve our country and punish individuals who commit assaults,” the chairman of the committee said. House Intelligence, Mike Turner of Ohio, and Ranking Member Jim Himes of Connecticut. in a report. “We appreciate the CIA’s willingness to work with the House Intelligence Committee and its commitment to implementing meaningful changes within the agency that address this serious issue.”

Kevin Carroll, a lawyer representing the first female officer to approach Congress, called the CIA reforms “an excellent first step.” He urged the task force to urgently address the agency’s mechanisms for referring criminal assault and rape complaints, as well as its instructions for victims to speak to law enforcement.

Carroll also praised the continued involvement of Congress. “It’s good for congressional oversight committees investigating this important issue in a bipartisan way,” he said.

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