Following a new report highlighting that more than
one-quarter of women working as Veterans Affairs employees experienced sexual
harassment, congressional leaders on Wednesday demanded immediate changes in
department policies to ensure that such claims are investigated and addressed
instead of being overlooked.
“The department must make the prevention and addressing of
sexual harassment a top priority,” a bipartisan group of House and Senate
lawmakers stated in a letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “As an institution
that is charged with providing healthcare and benefits to survivors of sexual
violence, VA must lead on all fronts … on addressing this issue.”
The letter — signed by the chairmen and ranking members of
the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees, as well as Iraq War veteran
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa — came just a few hours after a new Government
Accountability Office report lamenting shortfalls in VA training, reporting and
oversight of sexual harassment events.
“Absent additional action, some VA employees may continue to
distrust VA’s handling of sexual harassment allegations,” the report stated.
“Further, VA’s core values, which include integrity, advocacy, and respect,
along with its ability to deliver the highest quality services to the nation’s
veterans, may be compromised.”
According to federal survey data from 2014 to 2016 — the
latest year the survey was conducted — 26 percent of women who worked at VA
reported some form of sexual harassment, and 14 percent of male employees said
they were subject to similar unwelcome workplace behavior.
Government-wide, the number of women reporting workplace
sexual harassment was 21 percent. Among men, it was 9 percent.
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