House Intelligence Committee Criticizes CIA for Handling of Sexual Assault Cases in the Agency

The House Intelligence Committee has reportedly found that the CIA has failed to address sexual assault within its own ranks properly.

Politico reported that the investigation concluded there was a lack of accountability and punishment for confirmed perpetrators and confusion in the reporting process for sexual assaults.

The inquiry began in January 2023 after a female CIA employee accused a fellow officer of physically attacking and sexually assaulting her at CIA headquarters. The agency allegedly did nothing after she reported the repeated attempts of the man to forcibly kiss her.

According to Politico, the committee interviewed more than 20 CIA whistleblowers, reviewed 4,000 pages of documents, and held two hearings.

The committee’s executive summary stated that the CIA failed to handle allegations of sexual assault and harassment professionally and uniformly. The agency established an office in 2021 to advocate for officers dealing with sexual assault and harassment, led by an outside expert hired in June 2023.

In February, the CIA reportedly fired the initial whistleblower, leading to accusations of retaliation. The attacker, former CIA employee Ashkan Bayatpour, was convicted of assault for tightening a scarf around the victim’s neck.

The victim’s lawyer, Kevin Carroll, told the Associated Press that the CIA unlawfully ended the woman’s career for speaking out about her sexual assault.

The CIA denied any wrongdoing and stated that it has put in place legislative reforms to address failures and ensure accountability in addressing sexual assault and harassment.

Intelligence Committee chair Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., said in a statement that they have heard from whistleblowers and are committed to monitoring progress and ensuring the agency’s commitment to addressing sexual assault and harassment.