Coast Guard Survivors Justice Act

Coast Guard Survivors
Justice Act

The Time For Real change is Now

CONTACT CONGRESS

Use our tool to easily email or call your representatives.

SHARE YOUR STORY

If you’re a survivor, consider sharing your experience to show why this law is needed. Remember, there is no time limit on seeking justice for past incidents.

DONATE

Your contributions fund our advocacy efforts and support services for survivors.

VOLUNTEER WITH US

We need help with everything, from event organizing to legal research.

CONTACT CONGRESS

Use our tool to easily email or call your representatives.

SHARE YOUR STORY

If you’re a survivor, consider sharing your experience to show why this law is needed. Remember, there is no time limit on seeking justice for past incidents.

DONATE

Your contributions fund our advocacy efforts and support services for survivors.

VOLUNTEER WITH US

We need help with everything, from event organizing to legal research.

About Maritime Legal Solutions

As a national maritime employment and injury law firm, Maritime Legal Solutions has a proven track record of helping victims and survivors of sex trafficking, sexual violence, maritime sexual harassment, injuries, and other employment issues recover damages in the civil court system.

We also help victims hold their perpetrators accountable via the criminal justice system, and we pioneered the use of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Suspension & Revocation process to hold perpetrators of shipboard misconduct accountable.

Our firm has taken on the highest-profile matters and achieved exceptional results that have not only benefited our clients, but have also created positive change in the broader maritime industry and society.

Attorney Ryan Melogy

Ryan Melogy began his legal journey as a maritime whistleblower, and eventually served as a victim and star witness in the first public sexual misconduct Suspension & Revocation trial prosecuted by the U.S. Coast Guard in more than 30 years.

In recent years, through his Law Firm Maritime Legal Solutions, Melogy has been involved in the most high profile and precedent-setting Civil, Criminal, and U.S. Coast Guard Suspension & Revocation actions affecting survivors of maritime sexual harassment & abuse, as well as victims of human and sexual trafficking.

Ryan has worked tirelessly to expose the rampant sexual harassment and abuse plaguing the maritime industry and the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. military, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to obtain justice for victims and survivors. He handles cases all over the country, and routinely partners with excellent and experienced lawyers and law firms from across the United States to handle complex litigation in any venue.

Ryan Melogy is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point and the University of Virginia School of Law. He served for 8 years as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and holds an unlimited tonnage Chief Mate’s license.

After founding Maritime Legal Aid & Advocacy (MLAA) in 2020, Ryan worked with USMMA Midshipman Hope Hicks to publish her harrowing “Midshipman-X” blog post that forever changed the maritime industry and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Ryan then represented Hope and her classmate “Midshipman-Y” in their civil suits against Maersk Line, and represented both women in dealings with the Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice, and Coast Guard S&R Prosecutors. The accused perpetrators in both the X and Y cases were eventually forced to surrender their Merchant Mariner Credentials to the Coast Guard, and were banned from working in the U.S. maritime industry.

Melogy was instrumental in passage of the landmark maritime safety legislation known as the “Safer Seas Act,” and wrote the influential policy paper that led to the historic legislative strengthening of 46 USC 10104, the shipboard sexual misconduct reporting law that serves as the foundation of the Safer Seas Act. 

The Coast Guard Survivors Foundation is spearheading an advocacy effort to pass legislation that will provide a path to real justice for Coast Guard Survivors.

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH US AND BE PART OF THE CHANGE.

How You Can Help:

  1. Share your story: If you’re a survivor, consider sharing your experience (anonymously if preferred. Utmost confidentiality is guaranteed) to show why this law is needed. Remember, there is no time limit on seeking justice for past incidents. Contact us
  2. Contact Congress: Use our tool to easily email or call your representatives.
  3. Spread the word: Share this website and information about the Act on social media.
  4. Volunteer: We need help with everything, from event organizing to legal research.
  5. Donate: Your contributions fund our advocacy efforts and support services for survivors.

The Coast Guard Survivors Justice Act is a vital step toward healing, justice, and prevention. As one whistleblower in the Senate report stated: “Being raped is bad enough. But the institutional betrayal has been more damaging for me. It was the culture.”

It’s time to change that culture and provide a path to justice for all survivors, no matter how long ago the incident occurred. Join us in fighting for this crucial legislation and supporting Coast Guard survivors.

COAST GUARD SURVIVORS ACT. EMPOWERING SURVIVORS, DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY:

The Coast Guard Survivors Justice Act is groundbreaking legislation that aims to provide justice for all survivors of sexual assault and harassment in the U.S. Coast Guard, past and present. This memo outlines the key aspects of the bill, why it’s desperately needed, and how you can support its passage.

What the Act Does:

  1. Allows survivors to file civil lawsuits: The Act amends the Federal Tort Claims Act to permit survivors of sexual assault and harassment in the Coast Guard to sue the federal government for damages.
  2. Applies to ALL past cases without time limit: The legislation covers ALL incidents that occurred before its enactment, with no statute of limitations.
  3. Sets reasonable time frame for future cases: For incidents occurring after the Act’s passage, survivors will have 5 years to file a claim.
  4. Provides a clear legal pathway: The Act establishes a specific process for these claims within the existing federal court system.

Why This Legislation is Crucial:

The Coast Guard has a long-standing, systemic problem with sexual misconduct that has devastated countless lives and careers. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report from August 7, 2024, reveals shocking findings:

  1. Widespread abuse: At least 39 individuals reported sexual assault and 27 reported sexual harassment to the Subcommittee.
  2. Chronic underreporting: Approximately half of the sexual misconduct instances disclosed to the Subcommittee were never reported to the Coast Guard or Academy.
  3. Culture of silence: Survivors faced ostracization, shaming, and disbelief when reporting, often leading to career-ending retaliation.
  4. Inadequate investigations: Coast Guard processes frequently failed to provide justice or meaningful accountability for perpetrators.
  5. Lasting trauma: Survivors reported lifelong impacts on their mental health, careers, and personal lives.
  6. Ongoing problem: The issues persist to this day, with recent cases mirroring decades-old patterns of abuse and cover-ups.

The Coast Guard’s internal systems have repeatedly failed survivors. This Act provides a crucial external mechanism for accountability and justice, recognizing that the trauma and impact of these experiences can last a lifetime.

Steps to Pass the Legislation:

  1. Build co-sponsors: We need bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. Contact your representatives and urge them to co-sponsor the bill.
  2. Committee hearings: The bill will likely go through the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. We need to push for hearings to highlight survivor stories and the need for this legislation.
  3. Media campaign: Help us raise awareness through social media, op-eds, and interviews. Share your story if you’re comfortable.
  4. Grassroots organizing: Form local groups to lobby representatives, organize call-in days, and keep the pressure on Congress.
  5. Coalition building: We’re partnering with veterans’ groups, women’s rights organizations, and other allies. Join our coalition or connect us with potential partners.
  6. Overcome potential opposition: We anticipate pushback from some military leaders and lawmakers concerned about costs or command authority. We need to counter these arguments with facts and survivor testimonies.

JOIN US IN FIGHTING FOR THIS CRUCIAL LEGISLATION AND SUPPORTING COAST GUARD SURVIVORS.

Coast Guard Survivors Latest News

Coast Guard Survivors Latest News