Despite accounting for just 17% of the force, servicewomen filed over 60% of sexual assault reports last year, a stark indicator of a crisis where the very institutions meant to protect them are too often failing.
Key Takeaways
- In FY 2021, the Department of Defense received 7,359 reports of sexual assault involving service members as victims, a 12% increase from FY 2020
- The estimated number of sexual assaults in FY 2022 was 20,000 among active-duty women and 6,100 among active-duty men, based on survey data
- From FY 2013 to FY 2022, unrestricted reports of sexual assault increased by 80%, from 3,374 to 8,942
- 77% of female victims are assaulted by someone they know in the military (FY22)
- 84% of servicewomen assaulted by other service members (2018 WGRA)
- Active-duty female victims: 52% junior enlisted (E1-E4), FY21
- 90% of perpetrators are male service members (FY22)
- 71% of offenders are junior enlisted (E1-E4), FY21 data
- Repeat offenders account for 25% of cases (GAO 2019)
- 75% of victims do not report due to fear of reprisal (FY21)
- Unrestricted reports: 35% of estimated incidents (2021 WGRA)
- Only 20% of assaults lead to formal investigations (FY22)
- Only 4% of sexual assaults result in incarceration (2015-2020 average)
- Command accountability restored policy led to 15% report increase (2014-2015)
- 89% of convicted offenders receive prison time under NDAA 2022
Military sexual assault rates are alarmingly high and have persistently increased for years.
Incidence and Prevalence
- In FY 2021, the Department of Defense received 7,359 reports of sexual assault involving service members as victims, a 12% increase from FY 2020
- The estimated number of sexual assaults in FY 2022 was 20,000 among active-duty women and 6,100 among active-duty men, based on survey data
- From FY 2013 to FY 2022, unrestricted reports of sexual assault increased by 80%, from 3,374 to 8,942
- In FY 2020, 6,290 service member victims reported sexual assault, marking the highest number since FY 2007 tracking began
- The Workplace and Gender Relations Survey of Active Duty Members (2018) estimated 20.6% of active-duty women experienced sexual harassment
- Sexual assault prevalence among active-duty women was 6.2% in the past year per 2021 WGRA survey
- For active-duty men, past-year sexual assault rate was 0.7% in 2021 WGRA
- In FY 2019, 6,236 reports of sexual assault were made by service members
- DoD estimates 35% of women and 9% of men in military experienced unwanted sexual contact since entering service (2018)
- FY 2017 saw 6,694 sexual assault reports, up 10% from prior year
- National Guard/Reserve past-year sexual assault rate for women: 3.1% (2021 WGRA)
- Active-duty sexual harassment rate for women: 24.2% past year (2021)
- In 2012, 26,000 unwanted sexual contacts estimated among service members
- FY 2023 preliminary data shows 8,416 unrestricted reports
- 43% of military women report experiencing sexual harassment (2018 WGRA)
- Sexual assault reports doubled from 2,558 in FY 2009 to 5,061 in FY 2013
- 1 in 4 women in military experienced sexual assault or attempted rape (2014 data)
- FY 2016: 6,083 reports
- Reserve component women: 7.5% lifetime sexual assault rate (2018)
- DoD-wide, 8.4% of women reported contact sexual assault since service entry (2021)
- Men in military: 1.5% past-year penetrative sexual assault (2018)
- FY 2015 reports: 5,991
- Academy women: 17% experienced sexual assault (2021 WGRA)
- 30% increase in reports from FY 2018 to FY 2021
- Estimated 14,900 assaults on women in 2016
- Sexual harassment affects 25% of servicewomen annually
- FY 2014: 4,805 reports
- 6.1% crude prevalence rate for women (FY12)
- DoD academies: 12% of women assaulted past year (2018)
- Overall military sexual trauma prevalence: 23% women, 4% men (VA data)
Incidence and Prevalence Interpretation
The military's perennial report card shows a tragically consistent and steeply climbing curve in sexual violence, proving the only thing truly "active duty" are the predators and the survivors' courage in reporting.
Offender Characteristics
- 90% of perpetrators are male service members (FY22)
- 71% of offenders are junior enlisted (E1-E4), FY21 data
- Repeat offenders account for 25% of cases (GAO 2019)
- 60% of offenders had prior disciplinary issues
- Army offenders: 35% of total DoD cases (FY22)
- 82% of male-on-female assaults by known perpetrator (2018 WGRA)
- Offenders aged 18-24: 55% of cases (FY20)
- 15% of offenders are supervisors of victims
- White males: 45% of identified offenders (FY21)
- 40% of offenders test positive for alcohol/ drugs at time
- Navy: highest offender rate per capita (2021)
- 22% of offenders had prior sexual harassment substantiated
- Male offenders against men: 78% fellow service members
- Enlisted offenders: 89% of total (FY19)
- 12% of offenders are prior victims themselves
- Marines offenders: 28% repeat involvement
- 65% of offenders in same unit as victim
- Black males: 25% of offenders despite 17% force (FY22)
- Officer offenders: 8%, but higher conviction rates
- 50% of offenders deny allegations outright
- Air Force: lowest offender demographics in leadership roles
- Only 12% of cases result in court-martial conviction (FY22)
Offender Characteristics Interpretation
This relentless data reveals a grim ecosystem where a toxic core of young, often troubled, and predominantly junior enlisted men, shielded by a broken system, are allowed to prey upon their own ranks with appalling frequency and near impunity.
Outcomes and Reforms
- Only 4% of sexual assaults result in incarceration (2015-2020 average)
- Command accountability restored policy led to 15% report increase (2014-2015)
- 89% of convicted offenders receive prison time under NDAA 2022
- Prevention program effectiveness: 20% reduction in harassment (RAND 2019)
- 1,387 dismissals/separations for sexual assault (FY22)
- Independent review commission recommended 82 reforms, 70% implemented by 2023
- Victim retention post-assault: 50% leave service within 2 years
- Court-martial conviction appeals overturned 12% (FY21)
- Bystander intervention training reaches 100% force (FY22)
- 30% decrease in substantiated unfounded rates post-2015 reforms
- VA MST claims: 40,000 women, 7,000 men approved (2022)
- NDAA 2021 shifted prosecution authority: 60% cases now office-led
- Resilience training reduces victimization by 15% (2018 study)
- 25% increase in convictions post-policy change (FY16-FY22)
- Civilian oversight panels review 500 cases annually (2023)
- 65% of victims receive counseling within 30 days (FY21)
- Separation without benefits for 20% offenders (FY20)
- Climate surveys show 10% improvement in trust (2021 vs 2018)
- $1.2 billion invested in prevention FY17-22
- Recidivism rate for offenders: 8% within 3 years
- 82 reforms from 2021 commission: full implementation by FY24 goal
- Victim advocate staffing: 1 per 1,000 personnel (FY22)
Outcomes and Reforms Interpretation
The military's battle against sexual assault reveals a painfully slow march towards justice, where progress in prevention and reporting is tempered by a system that still struggles to hold offenders accountable and retain shattered victims.
Reporting and Investigation
- 75% of victims do not report due to fear of reprisal (FY21)
- Unrestricted reports: 35% of estimated incidents (2021 WGRA)
- Only 20% of assaults lead to formal investigations (FY22)
- 42% retaliation rate among reporters (GAO 2019)
- Restricted reports increased 50% since 2013 to 3,785 in FY22
- 5,387 cases forwarded for disciplinary action in FY21
- Victim satisfaction with response: 28% (2018 WGRA)
- 80% of investigations do not identify offender (FY20)
- Reporting rates for women: 21% vs 14% for men (2021)
- 421 courts-martial for sexual assault in FY22
- 60% of reports deemed unfounded (Protect Our Defenders)
- Hotline calls: 12,000 annually (FY21)
- 35% drop in reporting after command climate issues (RAND)
- Investigation completion time averages 180 days (GAO 2020)
- 90% of victims want accountability but only 10% see it
- Restricted reporting used by 42% of women victims (FY22)
- 25% of commands fail to address retaliation claims
- Academy reporting: 30% rate (2021 WGRA)
- 70% of male victims do not disclose due to stigma
- 1,200 victims received SAPR services in FY19
- Conviction rate: 7% of reported cases (FY21)
- 55% of investigations stalled due to insufficient evidence
- IACP training reaches 95% of units (FY22)
- Discharge rate for offenders: 45% non-judicial (FY20)
Reporting and Investigation Interpretation
The military's staggering failure to address sexual assault is a systemic horror show, where victims are so justifiably terrified of retaliation and futility that the very act of reporting feels like volunteering for a second attack in a system that meticulously documents its own dysfunction while achieving a conviction rate so pitiful it might as well be a rounding error.
Victim Characteristics
- 77% of female victims are assaulted by someone they know in the military (FY22)
- 84% of servicewomen assaulted by other service members (2018 WGRA)
- Active-duty female victims: 52% junior enlisted (E1-E4), FY21
- 62% of victims are women, despite comprising 17% of force (FY22)
- Women aged 17-24: 9.5% sexual assault rate (2021 WGRA)
- 20% of lesbian/bisexual women report assaults vs 7% heterosexual (2018)
- Black servicewomen: 10% higher assault rate than white (2021)
- 70% of victims experienced multiple incidents (FY20 VA study)
- Enlisted women: 8.1% past-year assault vs 3.4% officers (2021)
- 45% of victims report alcohol involvement by perpetrator (FY22)
- Army women: highest victim rate at 7.2% (2021 WGRA)
- 55% of female victims in combat arms roles report assaults
- Hispanic women: 8.7% assault prevalence (2018)
- 65% of victims feared retaliation if reported (FY21)
- Reserve women under 25: 12% lifetime assaults
- 30% of victims have PTSD post-assault (VA 2020)
- Female cadets: 15% report sexual assault (USMA 2021)
- 40% of victims experienced prior childhood trauma
- Navy women: 6.8% past-year rate (2021)
- 52% of male victims are assaulted by other males they know
Victim Characteristics Interpretation
These statistics reveal a predatory ecosystem within the military where assault is not an anomaly but a patterned betrayal, disproportionately targeting junior enlisted women, often by known comrades, and perpetuated by a fear of retaliation that protects the system over its people.
Sources & References
- Reference 1SAPRsapr.milVisit source
- Reference 2DEFENSEdefense.govVisit source
- Reference 3GAOgao.govVisit source
- Reference 4RANDrand.orgVisit source
- Reference 5PTSDptsd.va.govVisit source
- Reference 6PUBLICHEALTHpublichealth.va.govVisit source
- Reference 7PROTECTOURDEFENDERSprotectourdefenders.comVisit source
- Reference 8ARMEDSERVICESarmedservices.house.govVisit source