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Sexual assault remains a critical concern within the U.S. military, affecting service members across all branches. Understanding the prevalence and identifying high-risk environments are essential steps toward effective prevention and support for survivors.
Recent studies and reports provide insight into the scope of sexual assault within the armed forces:
- Overall Estimates: A 2024 study [PDF] by Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs revealed that the actual number of sexual assaults in the U.S. military is significantly higher than official Department of Defense (DoD) estimates. While the DoD estimated 35,900 cases in 2021 and 29,000 in 2023, the study found numbers exceeding 75,000 for each year. This discrepancy highlights the underreporting and challenges in accurately capturing the extent of the issue.
- Gender Disparities: Women in the military face a higher risk of sexual assault than men. In 2021, approximately 8.4% of active-duty women reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact, compared to 1.5% of active-duty men. Despite the lower percentage, the number of male victims is substantial due to the larger male population in the military.
High-Risk Environments Across Military Branches
Sexual assaults are more prevalent in specific settings and situations within the military:
Bases with High Densities of Junior Personnel
Installations with large populations of junior enlisted members often see higher rates of sexual assault. Younger service members may lack awareness of reporting mechanisms or fear retaliation, leading to underreporting.
Deployment and Combat Zones
Service members deployed in combat zones or remote assignments report higher rates of sexual violence. The isolation, stress, and lack of oversight in these environments can contribute to increased incidents.
Naval Vessels
Personnel assigned to Navy ships at sea are at a higher risk of sexual assault compared to those stationed on land. The confined living quarters and extended deployments can exacerbate vulnerabilities.
Military Academies and Training Facilities
Institutions such as the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy have reported significant numbers of sexual assault cases. In 2024, reports of sexual assaults at these academies decreased for the second consecutive year after an alarming surge two years prior. Approximately 13% of female students reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact, a decrease from over 21% in 2022. However, defense officials caution that the numbers remain high.
Branch-Specific Insights
While sexual assault affects all branches, certain trends have been observed.
Sexual Assault In The U.S. Army
The RAND Corporation conducted a study [PDF] at the request of the U.S. Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, aimed at extending previous analyses of sexual assault and sexual harassment risks in the Army. This study sought to identify variations in risk across different Army groups—specifically at installations, commands, and within career fields—and to provide recommendations on targeted prevention efforts. The study used data from August 2017 to July 2018 and found significant variation in risk, particularly among Army women, as well as stability in risk over time.
Key Findings and Statistics
- Variation in Risk:
- The average total risk of sexual assault for women in the Army during the study period was 5.8%.
- The highest-risk installations for sexual assault were Fort Hood (8.4%), Fort Bliss (7.6%), Fort Riley (7.4%), and Fort Campbell (7.3%).
- In contrast, the Pentagon had the lowest risk, with a total of 1.8% for women.
- Risk by Commands and Career Fields:
- High-risk commands included 1st Cavalry Division (9.3% total risk), Headquarters, III Corps (8.1%), and 1st Armored Division (8.5%).
- Career fields with the highest total sexual assault risk for women were field artillery (10.6%), Corps of Engineers, air defense artillery, and equipment maintenance and repair.
- Adjusted Risk:
- After adjusting for factors such as age, deployment history, and other personal characteristics, Fort Hood and Fort Bliss still showed the highest adjusted risk for women, indicating that risk levels were higher than expected given the personnel’s characteristics.
Sexual assaults at five bases (including Forts Hood, Bliss, Riley, Campbell, and Carson) accounted for 34% of the total estimated assaults on Army women during the study period.
Sexual Assault In The U.S. Navy
As highlighted above, personnel assigned to Navy ships at sea face a higher risk of sexual assault compared to those stationed on land. The confined living quarters and extended deployments can exacerbate vulnerabilities.
Key Findings and Statistics
- Variation in Risk:
- The highest-risk environments for sexual assault in the Navy are aboard deployed ships, where close quarters and prolonged periods away from shore contribute to increased incidents.
- Specific data on individual ship classes or fleets were not detailed in the available reports.
- Risk by Commands and Career Fields:
- While the overall risk is elevated at sea, certain commands and occupational specialties may experience varying levels of risk.
- Detailed statistics on specific commands or career fields were not provided in the referenced studies.
- Adjusted Risk:
- Factors such as deployment duration, ship type, and crew composition may influence adjusted risk levels, but specific adjusted statistics were not available in the current literature.
U.S. Marine Corps
Here are some of the key findings from the 2018 RAND study…
High-Risk Installations for Female Marines:
- Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California had one of the highest risks of sexual assault across all branches of the military.
- Other higher-risk bases included Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, MCAS Beaufort, and MCAS New River.
- Units within the 3rd Marine Logistics Group also showed elevated sexual assault risk levels.
High-Risk Installations for Male Marines:
- Marines assigned to Japan, Korea, and Afghanistan were at significantly higher risk compared to those stationed stateside.
- The risk for male Marines was disproportionately higher in overseas assignments, particularly in forward-deployed units.
Bases with the Most Reported Cases of Sexual Assault:
- Camp Pendleton, California, the largest Marine Corps base in the country, has consistently reported among the highest numbers of sexual assault cases.
- In 2016, Camp Pendleton had 157 reported cases of sexual assault, making it one of the most frequently cited locations.
- Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, has also reported high numbers of cases over multiple years.
- Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, has been the site of recruit training-related sexual abuse cases, particularly involving drill instructors and other training personnel.
Overall Risk and Reporting Trends in the Marine Corps:
- A higher percentage of Marines report experiencing sexual assault compared to other branches. A 2021 Department of Defense report found that 13.4% of female Marines and 2.7% of male Marines reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact in the previous year—the highest rate among all service branches.
- Marines have a lower rate of reporting incidents than soldiers, sailors, or airmen, with victims frequently citing fear of retaliation and career repercussions as reasons for not coming forward.
- The Marine Corps has faced criticism for its response to sexual assault cases, with reports indicating insufficient victim support services and failures in holding perpetrators accountable.
U.S. Air Force: Prevalence and Risk of Sexual Assault
A 2021 Department of Defense report found that the U.S. Air Force had the lowest rate of reported sexual assaults among the military branches, but the issue remains significant. In 2018, the Air Force contracted the RAND Corporation to assess installation-specific risk factors for sexual assault and harassment within the branch. The study revealed that risk varied based on factors such as rank, career field, installation, and operational tempo.
Key Findings and Statistics
Despite Air Force-led prevention initiatives, many victims reported a lack of trust in the system and fears of retaliation, particularly in male-dominated career fields.
Overall Risk of Sexual Assault:
The Air Force reported 1,621 cases of sexual assault in 2021, reflecting an increasing trend over the past decade.
The average estimated risk of sexual assault for women in the Air Force was 4.3%, the lowest among all branches but still concerning.
Men in the Air Force reported a 0.8% risk of sexual assault, higher than their counterparts in the Navy but lower than the Army and Marine Corps.
High-Risk Installations:
Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, recorded some of the highest rates of sexual assault, particularly among younger enlisted airmen in training environments.
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, had higher-than-expected rates of sexual assault, likely due to its remote location, isolated conditions, and social dynamics.
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, were among the top Air Force installations where higher-than-expected assault rates were reported.
Risk by Career Fields and Commands:
Airmen in security forces, maintenance, and operations fields had higher risk levels compared to other career paths.
Women in combat aviation roles were at a higher risk than those in administrative or medical career fields.
Younger, lower-ranking enlisted personnel (E1-E4) faced the highest likelihood of experiencing sexual assault or harassment.
Adjusted Risk:
Even after adjusting for factors such as age, duty station, and operational assignments, the risk at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and Elmendorf-Richardson remained significantly higher than expected, suggesting institutional and environmental factors contributed to increased vulnerabilities.
Deployments and remote assignments often exacerbated risk factors, as isolated environments made reporting difficult and support services less accessible.
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