Published: December 24, 2021
By: Frederick B. Goldsmith
In its blog, “Coast Guard Maritime Commons – The Coast Guard Blog for Maritime Professionals,” a recent post describes the federal agency’s zero tolerance for sexual assault in the U.S. maritime industry. The post states, “The Coast Guard stands ready to investigate each report or tip alleging that a credentialed mariner committed a sexual assault. The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) will initiate an investigation and gather additional information for all reports of sexual assault, or other crimes at sea. Coast Guard investigators work alongside Coast Guard attorneys to ensure they gather sufficient evidence to refer the case to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution. Moreover, the Coast Guard has the authority to investigate and take enforcement action against the mariner’s credential to preclude the mariner from serving as a Coast Guard-credentialed commercial mariner.”
The post includes information on the Coast Guard’s anonymous sexual assault reporting website and its mobile app called CGIS Tips.
You can find the Coast Guard blog post here: