Maritime Sexual Assault
Former ship captain John Merrone admitted drugging and sexually assaulting a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy cadet at sea. The survivor’s attorney said it was the first Justice Department prosecution in more than 40 years involving sexual assault aboard a U.S. commercial cargo ship.
Maritime Legal Aid & Advocacy (MLAA).
Giving a voice to victims of harassment and abuse at sea.
Holding the maritime industry accountable through investigative journalism, federal FOIA litigation, and resources for mariners harmed at sea.
The MLAA Administrative Law Judge Docket is the first public-facing tool to track disciplinary actions, license suspensions, and civil penalties within the maritime sector.
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Former ship captain John Merrone admitted drugging and sexually assaulting a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy cadet at sea. The survivor’s attorney said it was the first Justice Department prosecution in more than 40 years involving sexual assault aboard a U.S. commercial cargo ship.
MLAA's second FOIA lawsuit against the U.S. Coast Guard, currently in its initial stages. The case seeks disclosure of records withheld by the agency in response to MLAA's Freedom of Information Act request.
MLAA filed a FOIA lawsuit in federal court against the U.S. Coast Guard to compel disclosure of records related to the agency's internal investigation into sexual assault and misconduct. When the Coast Guard failed to produce responsive records, MLAA brought suit under FOIA to force disclosure.
MLAA sued the Maritime Administration in federal court under FOIA to compel production of records related to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the agency's handling of sexual assault and misconduct reports. The case is now closed.
First-hand accounts of misconduct and accountability failures in the maritime industry.
By Midshipman-X
In our class of approximately 50 women, I know of at least 5 women who were forcibly raped during Sea Year. And I am one of them.Read the full account →
By Shannon Norenberg, former U.S. Coast Guard Academy Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
We weren't sent out there to help these people. We were sent out there as part of an elaborate cover-up of Operation Fouled Anchor designed to hide the existence of the investigation from Congress and the public.Read the full account →
By a U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer
The biggest myth in the Navy SWO community is that keeping silent while your chain of command terrorizes you makes you tough and resilient — that by enduring it, you're a true SWO. No, it makes you a fucking coward.Read the full account →
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