Reports of sexual assaults in the United States military increased by 13 % last year, driven by significant increases in the Army and Navy as bases began to emerge from pandemic restrictions and public places reopen.
36,10 service members said in a confidential survey that they had experienced unwanted sexual contact, a dramatic increase over the approximately 20,000 who mentioned the same in a similar poll of 2018.
The latest numbers, released by the AP, are sure to anger lawmakers on Capitol Hill who have criticized Pentagon efforts to control sexual crimes and misconduct.
According to officials, the general increase is due in largely to an almost 26% rise in reports involving Army soldiers. It is the largest increase for that service since 2013, when such reports increased by 51%.
The increase in reports from the Navy was about 9%, the Air Force was a little over 2%, and the Infantry of the Navy was less than 2%, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to the agency, because the report has not yet been made public.
The large increase is especially problematic for the Army , who is struggling to meet his recruitment goals and is expected to miss the goal for at least 10,000, or enter a 18% and a 25%, at the end of September.
Army leaders have recognized that it is important that parents and others who influence recruits feel comfortable that their son or daughter is safe and will be cared for in the service.
The Covid-19 and pandemic restrictions complicate year-to-year comparisons. Officials said they don’t have enough data to determine if, or how much, the pandemic played a role in the higher numbers in reports and surveys.
The Pentagon and the military services have long struggled to devise programs to prevent sexual assault and encourage reporting. While the military has made strides to make it easier and safer for service members to come forward, they have had far less success in reducing assaults, which have risen nearly every year since 2006.
Every year, until 10 % of assaults reported by service members occurred before joining the armed forces.
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