An independent committee on capitol hill has begun it's investigation into the allegations of sexual assault mishandling at the Air Force Academy.

In recent months, dozens of current and former female cadets have come forward, claiming they were raped or sexually abused at the academy, and punished when they reported the assaults.

Colorado Senator Wayne Allard was in Washington to attend the committee meeting. He says, since January, his office ahs received 60 reports of sexual misconduct. Forty two of those were from freshman.
Allard says the investigation conducted by the Air Force was incomplete, and not nearly enough has been done to correct the problem.

Some argue there's a code of silence at the academy that goes way back. One former female cadet says she was raped by an upperclassman and when she told an academy officer, he told her if she reported it, her career there was over.

The panel meeting in Washington will arrive in Colorado Springs next month to speak with victims and seek more answers.

The have 90 days to complete their investigation.