2 more USAF trainees allege sex abuse

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SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Two men said they were sexually abused by instructors -- one male, one female -- at the U.S. Air Force's Texas basic training camp.

The two men, in addition to another man who had earlier come forward, are the first alleged male victims among the dozens of sex-abuse cases at the boot camp at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the San Antonio Express-News reported Tuesday.

A male instructor was accused of sexual misconduct with two men in boot camp, and a female instructor is accused of having had consensual sex with a male student in technical training, the Express-News reported. Neither instructor was identified.

Thirty-two instructors, who allegedly sexually abused 59 victims, are under congressional investigation, the newspaper reported.

Lt. Col. Mark Hoover said the male instructor faces a minimum of 14 years in prison if found guilty.

"We're not at all surprised that the investigation has turned up male victims. Sexual assault in the military affects men as well as women. The [Veterans Administration] reports that 40 percent of all veterans seeking care for sexual trauma are men. Because of the hostile climate in the military, sexual assaults are under-reported to begin with, and among men under reporting is even more widespread than it is for women," said Greg Jacob, policy director for Service Women's Action Network.

All Air Force basic training takes place at Lackland, which has been involved in a sex scandal for more than a year. Six trainers have been judged guilty of misconduct, the newspaper said.