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US Air Force school gets to grips with harassment report

The US Air Force Academy on Friday confronted devastating evidence that it presided over a training regime that was hostile to women, with nearly 70 percent of female cadets reporting they had been sexually harassed, and nearly 20 percent sexually assaulted.

The findings, in a draft report by the US Department of Defense's inspector general's office, comes just six months after six former cadets charged the academy with fostering a climate that condoned violence against women because it punished those who reported they had been raped.

Although the air force vowed to embark on an "agenda for change," it was embroiled in another scandal this week when seven male cadets were caught drinking in a hotel room with under-age girls.

In the survey of 579 female cadets, conducted last May, 68 percent said they had experienced sexual harassment, ranging from inappropriate language and e-mails to unwanted touching.

Some 18 percent said they had been sexually assaulted or raped -- including 11 percent of this year's graduating class who said they had suffered rape or attempted rape.

On Thursday, the new commander of the academy, Brigadier General Johnny Weida, told a graduating class: "If you don't think we have ... a sexual harassment problem at the air force academy, your head is in the sand."
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