How many wake-up calls does it take? Harassment may be a regular part of military training, but sexual harassment is illegal. Rape is a felony. When will the Air Force Academy own up to a culture that winks at harassing and attacking women? When will female cadets feel as secure and valued as their male colleagues?

The wake-up calls are nothing new. In 1992, in its own student survey, the Academy found that its atmosphere "may be offensive, intimidating or threatening to women, if not discriminating in some ways." A 1994 report from Congress' General Accounting Office backed that up and recommended changes in the Academy's handling of rape and assault reports. A Colorado Springs rape counseling center tried without success to get the attention of senior administrators regarding female cadets who had sought its services.

Now, after press exposes and 25 sexual assault complaints to Senator Wayne Allard's office, the Academy may be forced to act. But, that begs the question of why women are being sexually attacked, intimidated and humiliated in the first place. That could only happen if the institution's environment ignores its responsibilities to at least some of its students and gives unspoken acceptance to a culture of hostility towards women.

As part of that environment, women who reported sexual assaults have been disciplined for infractions related or unrelated to the assaults. They have been subjected to reprisals, intimidation and public shame. They have been forced to leave the Academy and the career of their dreams. They have suffered long-lasting traumatic effects. Most of the time, their attackers have not been prosecuted. And, discipline for others has been nominal, if anything. There's surely something wrong with this picture!

The attitude of the Academy has been far from reassuring. An Air Force team sent to investigate the allegations didn't even interview the victims, raising Senator Allard's ire. One Academy investigator reportedly said that women alleging rapes weren't able to make it at the Academy and were looking for excuses. The Academy superintendent, Lt. Gen. S. Taco Gilbert III, talked about a "perception of a problem" when it's clear there is a very real problem.

There's more. A prevention program asks if it's really smart for a woman to go somewhere with 5 men. In an atmosphere of mutual respect, which seems to be shamefully lacking at the Academy, that should be a very safe thing to do. In addition, women who have immediately reported rapes have not had full medical examinations to gather DNA evidence for use against their attackers. The skeptical response from their commanders to rape reports has led many women to simply keep quiet.

Congress needs to be absolutely clear with the Academy. Rape is an act of violence. It is intended to hurt, demean and dehumanize a victim. It is a felony. And, it must be properly and immediately investigated, prosecuted and punished.

It is not enough for the Air Force Academy, one of our premier higher education institutions, the training ground for men and women who will lead others in the defense of our country, to simply say it will try to improve its record with women. It must change its permissive atmosphere towards sexual harassment for good. It must institute procedures to assure that victims of sexual assault will be treated with respect, given appropriate counseling and provided a thorough medical exam.

Where a rape is deemed likely, the perpetrators, officers and cadets, must be prosecuted fully and punished if guilty. No longer can it be tacitly understood that "boys will be boys" and girls will be responsible for whatever happens to them.

Finally, we need some accountability here. Would any of us want Ken Lay to go back to running Enron? Why should the Superintendent of the Academy and the Commandant of the Cadets, who are responsible for the atmosphere at the Academy and the well-being of all cadets, keep their jobs? They, too, should be held accountable for what has happened on their watch. That would send an unmistakable message that Congress and the Air Force are determined to fix this mess.