While U.S. military troops are experiencing more sexual violence every year, the reporting rate for such assaults seems to be declining, U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) said during a July 11 task force roundtable.
“No one should have to experience any form of sexual violence or harassment, especially those who sacrifice so much to serve our country,” said Rep. Joyce, co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence. “We can and must do more.”
Rep. Joyce joined his fellow task force co-chairs, U.S. Reps. John Katko (R-NY), Annie Kuster (D-NH) and Jackie Speier (D-CA), during the roundtable to address military sexual trauma.
The congressman pressed the panelists for answers to help bolster troops’ confidence that the military’s response to a reported sexual assault will be victim-centered, that the report of the crime will be fairly evaluated, and that justice will be served against a guilty perpetrator.
“During my more than 25 years as a prosecutor, I encountered my fair share of terrible crimes, but few haunt me more than those of sexual violence,” said Rep. Joyce. “I co-founded this task force to raise awareness about the harsh realities of sexual violence, support the victims of these heinous crimes, and crack down on those who commit them. With this roundtable, we are following through on that mission.”
Panelists included representatives from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, the Prevention Innovations Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, and Protect Our Defenders, among others.
Sexual assaults against men remained virtually unchanged, but grew for women, ages 17-24 years old, who were the most at risk, according to the DOD’s 2018 report on sexual assault in the military.
Overall, the prevalence of sexual assault in the military rose in 2018, with about 20,500 service members — 13,000 women, 7,500 men — reporting a sexual assault, the report said, an increase from roughly 14,900 service members who reported similar incidents in 2016.