***STATEMENT*** New Report Details Dramatic Increase in Sexual Assault at US Military Academies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2023

***STATEMENT***
New Report Details Dramatic Increase in Sexual Assault at US Military Academies
Nearly 1 in 5 female students reported unwanted sexual contact in the 2021-22 school year

Washington, DC – Today, the Pentagon released its bi-annual report on sexual assault at U.S. military academies across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The findings indicated reports of unwanted sexual contact increased 18% for the 2021-22 school year, a dramatic increase from previous years. One in five female students self-identified unwanted sexual contact in the last year (an increase from 16% in 2018 to 21.4%) while reports from male students almost doubled. The data is particularly troubling given that instances of sexual assault are widely considered to be underreported.

Late last year, President Biden signed historic reforms into law with the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – which officially empowers independent military prosecutors to determine whether those accused of sexual assault, rape and other serious offenses will be prosecuted. The military’s culture of sexual assault is longstanding and will continue to persist as long as Congress allows military leadership to skirt accountability.

Protect Our Defenders Vice-Chair, Josh Connolly, former Chief of Staff for Rep. Jackie Speier (former Chairwoman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee on the House Armed Services Committee) released the following statement:

“This report confirms what many of us have feared — that the scourge of sexual assault in our military is only getting worse. This report is particularly troubling because it exposes a dramatic increase in the prevalence of this abhorrent behavior at the institutions that are responsible for shaping the military’s future leaders. It’s clear that more of the same outdated training and attitudes are only making this problem worse. Leadership at the academies must be held accountable.”

Josh was previously Congresswoman Jackie Speier’s longtime Chief of Staff, who was Chairwoman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee on the House Armed Services Committee and a leader in addressing sexual assault in the military.

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