WASHINGTON: The number of reported sexual assaults across the U.S. military has decreased, and a confidential survey revealed a 19% drop in the number of service members experiencing unwanted sexual contact.
These findings mark a significant reversal of a growing problem in recent years.
According to several defense officials, more than 29,000 active-duty service members reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact in the past year, compared to nearly 36,000 in the 2021 survey. This decrease is the first in eight years, according to a report published by TRT.com on Thursday.
Additionally, 8,515 sexual assaults were reported last year involving members of the U.S. military, down from 8,942 in 2022. Officials also noted that the U.S. military academies saw fewer reported sexual assaults in the most recent school year compared to the previous year.
President Joe Biden highlighted the improved numbers during a speech to military commanders at the White House on Wednesday.
“I’m proud that for the first time in nearly a decade, rates of sexual assault and harassment within the active-duty forces are down. They’re down. That’s because of your leadership,” Biden said.
Senior defense officials acknowledged that the assault numbers are still too high and emphasized that there is much more work to do. However, they expressed cautious optimism that the military might be turning a corner, thanks to new programs and increased personnel.
Sexual assault reports in the military have risen for most of the last decade, with the exception of a small decrease in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
Officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the report has not been publicly released, noted that it is difficult to pinpoint a single reason for the recent decreases. However, the Defense Department has implemented several changes over the past year that may be contributing to the shift.
The military is utilizing more than $1 billion from the last two budgets to enhance programs and hire up to 2,500 personnel as part of a new “prevention workforce” stationed at military installations worldwide. So far, more than 1,000 personnel have been hired.
The Pentagon releases an annual report on the number of sexual assaults reported by or about troops. Because sexual assault is a highly underreported crime, the department also conducts a confidential survey every two years to gain a clearer understanding of the issue.
Data for the fiscal year ending September 30 indicates that a greater percentage of service members reported sexual assaults. About 25% of those who reported unwanted sexual contact on the survey came forward last year, up from 20% in 2021.
Defense officials have long maintained that an increase in reported assaults is a positive trend, as many people are reluctant to report them, both in the military and in society at large.
