The Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Army, and the Secretary of the Air Force – as the civilian leaders of the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, and U.S. Air Force Academy respectively – announce an upcoming conference on the prevention of sexual harassment and sexual assault at America's colleges and universities.

The conference will be held in April 2019 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The Service Secretaries will open the discussion to leaders and subject matter experts who are actively working to address this critical issue. Experts on the topic of sexual harassment and sexual assault from America's leading institutions of higher learning and government officials will be invited.

The purpose of the conference is to advance the national dialogue at the college and university level regarding the scourge of sexual harassment and assault. Evidence-based best practices will be shared on prevention and response efforts, as well as the benefits of increased partnerships and collaboration.

The initiation of the conference demonstrates the seriousness by which the Armed Services are committed to eradicating sexual harassment and sexual assault at the academies, and by extension, in their respective Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs across the country, and in the ranks of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.  This issue requires our collective attention and action. Working together, the Service Secretaries believe the gathered leaders can develop and share strategies that will make a significant impact on increasing awareness, improving education, and providing care for victims.

More details on this conference will be announced in January 2019, with invitations sent soon thereafter. Anticipated to be successful, the Service Secretaries are committed to making this a recurring event.