Pentagon Says Sexual Assault Reports Rose 58% at Service Schools
December 27, 2011, 7:08 PM EST
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By Gopal Ratnam
Dec. 27 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Defense Department today said reported cases of sexual assaults at the three major military academies rose 58 percent for academic year 2010-2011 compared with the previous year.
There were 65 assaults reported in the most recent full academic year compared with 41 for 2009-2010, the Pentagon said in its Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies. The Pentagon said it could not conclusively identify the reasons for this increase in reporting behavior.
Reports from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland doubled to 22 and incidents at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, increased 65 percent to 33, the report sent to Congress said. Reported incidents at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, remained unchanged at 10 for the year.
One sexual assault is one too many, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a statement. Whether its in our academies or our ranks, at sea or ashore, theres no place for this unacceptable behavior. The Defense Department has two new policies to support victims of sexual assault, according to a press release accompanying the annual figures. Those who report incidents have the option to request an expedited transfer from their unit; and records of such assaults will be retained for as long as 50 years in some cases so victims may have access to them.
The annual report was mandated by Congress in 2007 after reported cases of sexual assaults at the military training schools in the 1990s and early part of this decade.
December 27, 2011, 7:08 PM EST
More From Businessweek
By Gopal Ratnam
Dec. 27 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Defense Department today said reported cases of sexual assaults at the three major military academies rose 58 percent for academic year 2010-2011 compared with the previous year.
There were 65 assaults reported in the most recent full academic year compared with 41 for 2009-2010, the Pentagon said in its Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies. The Pentagon said it could not conclusively identify the reasons for this increase in reporting behavior.
Reports from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland doubled to 22 and incidents at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, increased 65 percent to 33, the report sent to Congress said. Reported incidents at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, remained unchanged at 10 for the year.
One sexual assault is one too many, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a statement. Whether its in our academies or our ranks, at sea or ashore, theres no place for this unacceptable behavior. The Defense Department has two new policies to support victims of sexual assault, according to a press release accompanying the annual figures. Those who report incidents have the option to request an expedited transfer from their unit; and records of such assaults will be retained for as long as 50 years in some cases so victims may have access to them.
The annual report was mandated by Congress in 2007 after reported cases of sexual assaults at the military training schools in the 1990s and early part of this decade.
