Bill Overview
Title: Improving Protections for Midshipmen Act
Description: This bill addresses sexual harassment, sexual assault, and other policies, procedures, and training for midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. For example, the Department of Transportation (DOT) shall establish a Sexual Assault Advisory Council to review the academy's policy on sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and other relevant matters related to sexual assault and sexual harassment. The DOT's Maritime Administration shall (1) establish an information management system to track and maintain information regarding claims and incidents of sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking involving cadets at the academy; (2) implement comprehensive in-person sexual assault risk-reduction and response training for all midshipmen at the academy; and (3) require a biannual survey of midshipmen, faculty, and staff of the academy assessing the inclusiveness of the environment at the academy and an annual survey assessing the inclusiveness of the environment of the Sea Year program. Additionally, the bill designates a Special Victims' Advisor to provide legal assistance to any cadet of the academy who is the victim of a sex-related offense. Further, the Coast Guard shall assess the feasibility of implementing a program modeled on the Catch a Serial Offender program of the Department of Defense. The bill also expands the authority of the Coast Guard to suspend or revoke a mariner's license on grounds related to sexual harassment or assault.
Sponsors: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Target Audience
Population: Midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Estimated Size: 1000
- The bill specifically targets midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
- It includes provisions for midshipmen, faculty, and staff at the academy.
- The bill also involves cadets and potentially mariners who could be affected by license revocation procedure changes.
Reasoning
- The policy focuses on improving the safety and wellbeing of midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, which is a relatively small and specific population, estimated to be around 1,000 individuals.
- Given the structured environment of the academy and the specific focus on safety from harassment and assault, the direct impact of the policy is likely to be high for those directly involved. However, indirect impacts on the general population or mariners who face license revocations will be minimal.
- The budget constraints suggest the policy can afford substantial interventions for up to 1,000 students, including training, legal support, and system implementations, which could substantially change perceived wellbeing for those directly affected.
- The population includes midshipmen (students), faculty, and staff at the academy, potentially affecting their extended support networks (families, communities), though less directly.
- The wellbeing scores of those at the academy are expected to improve if the policy successfully reduces the incidences and impacts of harassment and assault, while the scores without the policy will likely remain unchanged or deteriorate slight worsening if incidences continue unmitigated.
Simulated Interviews
Midshipman (Kings Point, NY)
Age: 20 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the policy is a good step forward because it shows that the Academy is serious about tackling these issues.
- Having a Special Victims' Advisor sounds reassuring.
- The biannual surveys might help bring ongoing issues to light and could make us feel safer talking about problems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Midshipman (Kings Point, NY)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy should be effective in curbing trends of harassment and abuse.
- Improved training will be crucial.
- It's long overdue to see structural changes like license revocation for offenders.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Recent Academy graduate, now working as a maritime officer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's great to see the academy finally taking these issues seriously.
- However, I hope that implementation is rigorous and sustained over time, so it truly benefits students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Midshipman (Kings Point, NY)
Age: 19 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I appreciate the focus on inclusiveness with the surveys.
- The policy helps, but true inclusiveness will take more than just policy changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 2 |
Faculty (Kings Point, NY)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's the right step for the academy.
- Mandatory reporting and better data tracking will help tackle systemic issues.
- My concern is whether the policy will be maintained long-term.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Lawyer for victims of assault (New York, NY)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The special advisor role is critical to getting victims the help they need quickly.
- The wider scope for Coast Guard authority could deter potential offenders.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
First-year Midshipman (Kings Point, NY)
Age: 18 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel more confident starting my tenure with this policy in place.
- Hoping it results in actual changes in behavior and culture.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 3 |
Captain in the Merchant Marine (Norfolk, VA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Revoking licenses for assault is a positive step.
- The policy's long-term impact could be beneficial, but staffing could be initially challenging.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Maritime Academy Instructor (Boston, MA)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The inclusiveness survey could highlight important issues, but consistent enforcement is key.
- I'm hopeful but will reserve judgment until results are visible.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Reason open-ended, potentially impacted by license policy (Corpus Christi, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's crucial these protections finally address a wide spectrum of harassment types.
- Hopeful it serves as a model for other institutions as well.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $9000000)
Year 2: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $9000000)
Year 3: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $9000000)
Year 5: $5500000 (Low: $3300000, High: $9900000)
Year 10: $6000000 (Low: $3600000, High: $10800000)
Year 100: $12000000 (Low: $7000000, High: $20000000)
Key Considerations
- The cost of establishing and maintaining new systems and councils should be balanced against the potential benefits of reduced incidents of sexual harassment and assault.
- Coordination with the Coast Guard and any expansions to the authority may require additional inter-agency efforts and costs.
- Tracking mechanisms provide vital data but come with ongoing IT and maintenance expenses.