Sexual Assault in the U.S. Military: Trends and Responses

Abstract: Sexual assault is without doubt one of the most pressing issues confronting the U.S military today. The Department of Defense (DoD) acknowledges that sexual assault is a crime “incompatible with military service” and seeks to establish an environment where sexual assault is not tolerated, condoned, or ignored. Yet questions persist over exactly how much progress DoD has made toward this goal. This paper reviews trends in the prevalence of sexual assault within the U.S. military, assesses how rates of sexual assault in the military compare to civilian rates, and then examines what the military has done to confront the problem and how it might improve such efforts.