THE FBI IS SET TO PAY MORE THAN 22-MILLION DOLLARS TO SETTLE A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT INVOLVING ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION AT ITS TRAINING ACADEMY.
THE LAWSUIT, FILED BY 34 WOMEN IN 2019… CLAIMS THEY WERE DISMISSED FROM THE FBI’S TRAINING FACILITY IN QUANTICO AFTER BEING SUBJECTED TO ROUTINE HARASSMENT AND INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR FROM INSTRUCTORS.
ACCORDING TO THE SUIT, FEMALE RECRUITS WERE SINGLED OUT AND HARASSED WITH INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS ABOUT THEIR BREAST SIZE… FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF INFIDELITY… TOLD TO TAKE CONTRACEPTION TO CONTROL THEIR MOODS… AND THAT THEY SHOULD ‘SMILE MORE.’
THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS THE FBI ALLOWED A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT WHERE WOMEN WERE JUDGED MORE HARSHLY THAN MEN AND TARGETED FOR DISMISSAL. THE ALLEGATIONS WERE LARGELY CONFIRMED IN A 2022 INTERNAL FBI REPORT.
AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT, THE FBI AGREED TO ALLOW THE VICTIMS A CHANCE TO RESUME TRAINING AND GUARANTEE THEM PLACEMENT IN ONE OF THEIR TOP THREE FIELD OFFICE CHOICES IF THEY PASS. OUTSIDE EXPERTS WILL ALSO REVIEW THE ACADEMY’S EVALUATION PROCESS TO ENSURE GENDER EQUITY MOVING FORWARD.
THE FBI’S 22-MILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT COMES JUST MONTHS AFTER THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REACHED AN AGREEMENT FOR OVER 138-MILLION WITH SURVIVORS OF SPORTS DOCTOR LARRY NASSAR, WHO ACCUSED THE BUREAU OF MISHANDLING THEIR SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS.
THIS CASE ARRIVES ON THE HEELS OF A BROADER RECKONING WITHIN THE FBI, WHICH HAS FACED A STRING OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT CLAIMS INVOLVING SENIOR OFFICIALS. IN RESPONSE, THE BUREAU IS IMPLEMENTING REFORMS, INCLUDING A 24-HOUR TIP LINE TO ADDRESS MISCONDUCT. CURRENTLY… MEN MAKE UP ABOUT 75-PERCENT OF THE BUREAU’S SPECIAL AGENTS.
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