COUNTERING MILITARY RECRUITMENT
Articles: Military Service: Women
Sex Assault Reports Rise in Military
Associated Press
March 22, 2007
WASHINGTON
- Reports of sexual assaults in the military increased by about 24
percent last year and more than twice as many offenders were punished.
There were nearly 3,000 sexual assault reports filed in 2006, compared
with almost 2,400 the previous year, a Pentagon report said Wednesday.
Action was taken against 780 people, from courts-martial and discharges
to other administrative remedies.
The cases involved members of the military who were victims or accused
of the assaults. The military counts rape, nonconsensual sodomy,
indecent assault and attempts to commit any of those as sexual assault,
though the 17-page report contained no data on how many of each were
reported.
This is the third year the military has compiled these sexual assault
statistics. The reporting methods have changed each year, however,
making comparisons of the annual reports difficult.
Of the 2,947 sexual assaults reported last year, 756 were initially
filed under a program that allows victims to report the incident and
receive health care or counseling services but does not notify law
enforcement or commanders.
The restricted, confidential reporting program allows the victims to
consider pursuing an investigation later; that was done in 86 of the
756 cases last year. Data for 2005 included only the restricted cases
for half the year.
According to the new report, more than 1,400 investigations into sex
assault cases dating to 2004 were completed last year. In slightly more
than half, commanders took no action, most often because the charges
were not substantiated or lacked evidence.
When action was taken, more than one-third - or 292 individuals - were
court-martialed. An additional 243 received nonjudicial punishment and
245 either were discharged or received some other administrative
action. Nonjudicial punishments can include reprimand letters or
demotions.
Pentagon officials have said that sexual assaults often go unreported.
They have attributed the rise in number in part to the vigorous effort
to encourage victims to report the crime.
"We expected those efforts, as well as increased training and improved
victim services, would prompt many more victims to come forward, and we
expected the numbers to increase this year," said Pentagon spokeswoman
Cynthia Smith.
Others said that reporting changes and training are not likely the only reasons for the higher numbers.
"Those conclusion are a little too fast and too easy," said Anita
Sanchez, spokeswoman for the Miles Foundation, a private, nonprofit
organization that provides services to victims of violence associated
with the military. "There are more women serving and more women
deployed, including Guard and Reserve members. Historically we have
seen an increase in incidents of sexual assault during deployments. "
The report provided a breakdown of some of the assaults, saying that
756 of the victims were members of the military. However, numbers for
the categories listed - 285 were in the Army, 247 in the Air Force, 144
in the Navy, 48 in the Marines and one was in the Coast Guard - added
up to 725. No explanation was given for the discrepancy.
Army spokeswoman Maj. Cheryl Phillips said, "There is no evidence that
the actual number of assaults is increasing in the Army, but there are
definite indicators that the Army has created more willingness among
Soldier victims to report incidents."
In the report, the Defense Department said the military services
"placed a high priority on training" and that the 2006 report
demonstrates the Pentagon's "commitment to eliminating sexual assault
from the military services" through education and by removing barriers
that can dissuade victims from reporting the crime.
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