The CIA has failed to properly deal with sexual assault in its own ranks, a House Intelligence Committee has reportedly determined.
Politico, citing a copy of the panel's investigation, reported the probe concluded there was "little to no accountability or punishment for confirmed perpetrators" — and "confusion and disorder" in the reporting process for sex assaults.
The committee's inquiry began in January 2023 after a female CIA employee alleged she'd been physically attacked and sexually assaulted by a fellow officer at CIA headquarters — and that the agency did nothing after she reported the man's repeated attempts to forcibly kiss her.
According to Politico, more than 20 CIA whistleblowers were interviewed, some 4,000 pages of documents were reviewed, and two hearings were held.
"Over the course of the investigation, the committee discovered that CIA failed to handle allegations of sexual assault and harassment within its workforce in the professional and uniform manner that such sensitive allegations warrant," the committee wrote in an executive summary, Politico reported.
The outlet reported the CIA established an office in 2021 that advocates for officers who are dealing with sexual assault and harassment, helmed by an outside expert hired in June 2023.
In February, the CIA fired the initial whistleblower in what the victim's lawyer called an act of retaliation, Politico reported. The attacker, former CIA employee Ashkan Bayatpour, was convicted of assaulting the woman by tightening a scarf around her neck.
The female victim's lawyer, Kevin Carroll, told The Associated Press the CIA had "unlawfully ended a young woman's career only because she had the moral courage, lacking in her managers, to stand up and be a witness about her sexual assault."
The CIA denied it did anything wrong.
The committee "heard directly from whistleblowers who courageously shared their stories in order to push for change and accountability," Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and Rep Jim Himes, D-Conn., said in a statement, Politico reported.
"Our committee has put in place significant legislative reforms to address failures, and we will continue to monitor progress to ensure there is no slippage in the agency's commitment to addressing sexual assault and harassment."
Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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