Note: This article is adapted from a longer investigative report by journalist
Sonner Kehrt for The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit new outlet renowned for its trusted and rigorous reporting on the human impact of military service.
The military has long struggled with systemic issues surrounding sexual assault, retaliation against survivors, and a culture that many say perpetuates harm. As a second Trump presidency looms, concerns about the future of military leadership and its commitment to addressing sexual violence are growing among service members and advocates. The War Horse conducted interviews with a dozen current military members across all branches about sexual assault.
A Culture of Assault and Retaliation
Despite decades of reforms, sexual assault remains a pervasive issue in the armed forces. Pentagon data suggests that one in four women in the military has experienced sexual assault, yet a significant portion of these incidents go unreported. Survivors cite fear of retaliation—reported by nearly two-thirds of those who come forward—as a major deterrent.
Don Christensen, a former Air Force chief prosecutor and president of Protect Our Defenders, noted about Trump’s Defense Secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, “Here you have a guy who has a police report that looks like hundreds of police reports I’ve read on sexual assault, where there’s alcohol involved, where the victim has a spotty memory.” His comments reflect ongoing concerns about accountability at the highest levels of the military, including nominees for top leadership positions.
Concerns About Leadership
Many survivors and advocates are alarmed by the nomination of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense. Allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior during his tenure at Concerned Veterans for America have sparked fears about the message his leadership could send to service members.
“It doesn’t matter if Pete Hegseth is never confirmed,” said a Pentagon-recognized victim advocate. “The fact that he was even nominated is setting back where we are in the DOD culturally by an amount that is personally terrifying.”
Service members worry that placing individuals accused of sexual misconduct in leadership roles could undermine years of progress in creating safer, more inclusive environments. An Air Force officer cautioned, “You are now being given permission by the uppermost leadership to degrade your fellow service members.”
The Role of Reform and Representation
During Lloyd Austin’s tenure as Secretary of Defense, significant strides were made to address military sexual assault. Notably, decisions to prosecute sexual assault cases were transferred from military command to independent prosecutors—one of the most significant reforms advocated for by survivors.
Still, with reports showing that only 16% of reported sexual assaults proceed to court-martial, survivors worry about what could happen if leadership shifts away from accountability.
“I want to have faith in the system because I think a lot of progress has been made,” one Army survivor told The War Horse. “But for me, it’s unknown.”
Advocates argue that a sustained commitment to reform is necessary to protect survivors and foster a culture of respect. Representation, particularly with the record number of female veterans in Congress, may play a critical role in holding leadership accountable. Sen. Joni Ernst, a retired Iowa National Guard lieutenant colonel and survivor of sexual assault, has publicly expressed reservations about Hegseth’s nomination, signaling the importance of survivor voices in shaping military policy.
The Stakes for the Future
Survivors and advocates alike worry that a shift in leadership could reverse cultural progress in the military, leading to greater impunity for sexual violence. A female Air Force pilot highlighted the prevalence of toxic masculinity in the services, saying, “I think that it’ll only be made even more palatable.”
As the military grapples with its past and looks to its future, survivors of sexual assault and their allies are asking whether the systems meant to protect them will continue to evolve—or regress.
