Sexual Harassment and Assault

Most Americans probably don't even know that we have a federal Merchant Marine Academy.  It falls under the Department of Transportation and has the mission "To educate and graduate leaders of exemplary character who are inspired to serve the national security, marine transportation, and economic needs of the United States as licensed Merchant Marine Officers and commissioned officers in the Armed Forces."

And this happens to their cadets? 

An 18-year-old US Merchant Marine Academy student who was repeatedly harassed and groped by older, male crew members during a training program aboard a commercial ship was so terrified of being sexually assaulted that she slept in a locked bathroom, clutching a knife for protection, a lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges.

Using the moniker Midshipman-Y, the young woman's account represents the latest blow to the federal academy, which has struggled to protect students from sexual abuse both on campus and at sea, and hold offenders accountable. Last year, the academy briefly shut down its mandatory "Sea Year" training program following the published report of another student who said she was raped by a senior crew member at sea in the summer of 2019, when she was 19 years old.

I can't believe it's 2022 and we as a species are still dealing with crap like this.  It is, however, a good reminder that some cultures are superior to others, and our culture, despite its flaws, looks aghast at treating people this way.