WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Susan Collins late yesterday sharply criticized Air Force Secretary James Roche for his handling of the sexual assault scandal unfolding at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Senator Collins expressed her dissatisfaction with Secretary James Roche for exonerating current Academy leadership of blame and for not correcting a culture that has reportedly made young women cadets who are victims of sexual assault fearful of reporting the crime because it leads to reprisal. "We have a clear pattern of reports of sexual assault where the response of the Air Force Academy is to blame the victim, and that is unacceptable," said Senator Collins to Secretary Roche at yesterdays afternoon hearing. "And we also have a clear pattern where it seems to me that no one is going to be held accountable for the climate that has made young women cadets fearful of reporting and leads to reprisal if they do, and that is unacceptable."
In his testimony before the Committee, Air Force Secretary Roche said that "when you have a succession of changes over time, you can hold the last group [of leaders] accountable, but they did not create the climate. The climate was created before they got there." Last month, Senator Collins urged the Pentagon to direct the Defense Department Inspector General to investigate the claims of Air Force Academy cadets who say that they suffered reprisal if they reported sexual assault. This investigation is now underway. Yesterday Collins expressed support for an independent review of the academy.
"I don''t care whether someone inherited the problem, presumably being part of the leadership of the academy, makes it your responsibility to correct these problems," said Collins.