The CIA inspector general has opened an independent investigation into the agency’s alleged mishandling of sexual assault and harassment cases involving its officers, according to a senior CIA official and an official from the watchdog’s office.
The watchdog’s decision to initiate a “special review” comes as the CIA has come under growing scrutiny for its handling of sexual assault and harassment allegations and marks the beginning of a formal investigation into claims that the agency has “grossly mishandled” a number of cases.
As the IG has already begun interviewing CIA employees as part of its probe, the agency itself is also taking new steps to change the way it handles sexual assault and harassment allegations, according to a statement from Director William Burns on Thursday.
That includes hiring a new leader for its Sexual Assault and Prevention Response Office – Dr. Taleeta Jackson – who will fill what the CIA called a “critical role in improving the ways that the Agency processes and responds to sexual assault allegations.”
CIA leaders have spoken with a number of employees in recent months and through those conversations it became clear that the agency needs to change its processes, the senior CIA official said.
The senior official acknowledged that CIA did not have anyone internally with the right experience to lead its sexual assault and prevention response office so they had to look elsewhere.
Jackson, meanwhile, does appear to have that experience. She is a psychologist who previously oversaw a similar program for the Navy and has worked in victim advocacy, sexual assault response and prevention, and program development for over 18 years, Burns said in the statement.
CIA is also establishing an internal task force to help address some of the problems with its reporting structure and process, Burns…
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