Four women and one man gave powerful whistleblower testimony on Thursday in New London, Connecticut about sexual assault they experienced while enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and during training at the academy.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) hosted the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing, which he chairs. It was held at Connecticut College.

“The experiences relayed in this report underscore what this investigation has already made abundantly clear; the problem of sexual assault and harassment in the Coast Guard is still far too pervasive,” Blumenthal said. “It is persistent and ongoing, and it affects officers and those enlisted in present service.”

Tina Owen is a retired lieutenant commander. She recounted her first assault from 30 years ago and those of 100 other victims, some at the hands of medical technicians.

“Senator, I am here to tell you they were raped, they were harassed, they had inappropriate EKGs taken of them, they were kicked, they had things thrown at them from across the room, these said objects hit them in the head,” Owen said. “They were made a public mockery. They found hidden cameras in the bathroom, they discovered a drunk shipmate crawling in their rack on the cutter.”

“They all just wanted to serve their Coast Guard in a safe space,” Owen said. “But they were violated.”

The hearing is part of a string of federal investigations into the U.S. Coast Guard and its Academy based in New London, Connecticut.

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