Behind every staggering statistic lies a shattered life, and new Department of Defense data for fiscal year 2022 reveals a harrowing and escalating crisis of sexual assault within the U.S. military.
Key Takeaways
- In fiscal year 2022, the Department of Defense received 8,942 reports of sexual assault involving Service members as victims, marking a 25% increase from FY2021
- From FY2018 to FY2022, the prevalence of completed or attempted sexual assault among active duty women remained stable at approximately 6.2%, according to the Workplace and Gender Relations Survey
- In FY2022, 74% of sexual assault reports involved alcohol or drug facilitation, up from 62% in FY2018, per DoD data
- Women comprise 17% of active duty force but 35% of victims in FY2022 reports
- 84% of reported victims in FY2022 were enlisted women under 25 years old
- Junior enlisted (E1-E4) made up 58% of female victims in FY2022
- 89% of reported offenders were male in FY2022 DoD data
- 82% of offenders were enlisted personnel in FY2022 reports
- Junior enlisted (E1-E4) offenders comprised 62% of cases in FY2022
- Only 28% of unrestricted reports led to court-martial referral in FY2022
- 42% of reports remained restricted in FY2022
- DoD investigated 4,927 subjects from 3,567 unrestricted reports in FY2022
- Professional military education reached 1.2 million on prevention FY2022
- 89% of force completed SHARP training FY2022
- Dismissals/separations of offenders: 1,800 in FY2022
The military continues struggling with escalating sexual assault reports despite prevention efforts.
Offender Demographics
- 89% of reported offenders were male in FY2022 DoD data
- 82% of offenders were enlisted personnel in FY2022 reports
- Junior enlisted (E1-E4) offenders comprised 62% of cases in FY2022
- 65% of offenders were under 25 years old in FY2022
- Prior offenders recidivated in 12% of cases per DoD tracking
- Army offenders: 2,000+ subjects in FY2022 investigations
- Navy: 1,500 offender subjects identified FY2022
- Air Force: 1,100 offenders in FY2022 cases
- Marines: 800 offender subjects FY2022
- 71% of offenders were in victim's chain of command
- Male enlisted E5-E6: 22% of offenders in FY2022
- Female offenders: 11% of total in FY2022 reports
- Black offenders 24% vs 17% force population
- Hispanic offenders 16% in FY2022 data
- 37% of offenders had prior disciplinary actions, per GAO review 2017-2021
- Officer offenders: 7% of subjects in FY2022
- RAND study: 90% offenders male at academies
- 55% of offenders consumed alcohol at time of offense FY2022
- 14% involved drugs in offender facilitation FY2022
- Repeat offenders averaged 2.3 prior incidents
- White offenders 58% of total FY2022
- 68% of offenders retained post-investigation per GAO
Offender Demographics Interpretation
While the military's sexual assault problem isn't a simple monster to slay, the data paints a disturbingly clear portrait of a crime primarily perpetrated by young, male, junior enlisted soldiers, often abusing the authority of their rank against those within their own chain of command, with a system that, despite damning recidivism and disciplinary records, still sees most offenders keep their jobs.
Prevalence/Incidence
- In fiscal year 2022, the Department of Defense received 8,942 reports of sexual assault involving Service members as victims, marking a 25% increase from FY2021
- From FY2018 to FY2022, the prevalence of completed or attempted sexual assault among active duty women remained stable at approximately 6.2%, according to the Workplace and Gender Relations Survey
- In FY2022, 74% of sexual assault reports involved alcohol or drug facilitation, up from 62% in FY2018, per DoD data
- The anonymous survey in FY2022 estimated 20,000 sexual assaults in the military, with only 44% reported
- Active duty Service members experienced a 12% increase in unwanted sexual contacts from 4.1% in FY2018 to 4.6% in FY2022
- In the Army, sexual assault reports rose 28% from 1,829 in FY2021 to 2,342 in FY2022
- Navy saw 1,976 reports in FY2022, a 20% increase from FY2021, including 1,218 unrestricted reports
- Air Force reported 1,468 sexual assaults in FY2022, up 16% from prior year
- Marine Corps had 942 reports in FY2022, increasing 38% from FY2021
- Space Force reported 214 assaults in FY2022, doubling from FY2021 figures
- GAO found that between 2017-2021, DoD processed 5,821 sexual assault cases, with conviction rates averaging 38%
- RAND study indicated 1 in 4 women in military academies experienced sexual assault during 2011-2012 academic year
- FY2020 DoD report showed 6,290 reports, with 35% involving minors or dependents
- Coast Guard unrestricted reports increased 11% to 142 in FY2022
- National Guard reported 512 assaults in FY2022, up 15%
- Reserves had 298 reports in FY2022, a 22% rise
- 52% of assaults occurred in barracks or duty stations per FY2022 data
- 28% of incidents happened off-base in FY2022
- Weekend incidents comprised 42% of reports in FY2022
- Summer months saw 29% of FY2022 assaults, highest seasonal rate
- Among active duty women, 24.2% experienced sexual harassment in FY2022
- Men reported 1.1% prevalence of sexual assault in FY2022 surveys
- 81% of victims knew their assailant in FY2022 reports
- Repeat victimization affected 18% of female victims per WGRS
- Academy women reported 16% unwanted sexual contact rate in FY2018
- FY2019 saw 7,458 total reports across DoD
- 41% of assaults involved penetration in FY2022
- Handgenital contact was 32% of incidents in FY2022
- Abusive sexual contact reported in 27% of FY2022 cases
- 61% of active duty female Service members experienced gender discrimination in FY2022
Prevalence/Incidence Interpretation
While the Pentagon's data shows a troubling surge in reported sexual assaults—peaking at a 25% annual increase—this only scratches the surface of a deeper, persistent crisis, where the vast majority of victims suffer in silence, known assailants exploit trust, and conviction rates remain abysmally low, revealing a system that is failing its own at every turn.
Prevention/Training/Outcomes
- Professional military education reached 1.2 million on prevention FY2022
- 89% of force completed SHARP training FY2022
- Dismissals/separations of offenders: 1,800 in FY2022
- Confinement sentences averaged 4.5 years for convictions FY2022
- 76% of convicted received prison time FY2022
- VA treated 45,000 MST patients in FY2022
- Prevention program funding: $500 million FY2022 DoD
- 92% bystander intervention training completion FY2022
- Career impacts: 19% victims separated from service FY2022
- Offender registration on sex offender lists: 65% compliance
- Resilience training for 800,000 Service members FY2022
- 43% reduction in retaliation complaints post-reforms
- New SAPR policy implemented for 100% command climate surveys FY2022
- 67% of victims reported improved mental health support access
- DoD-wide audit found 85% compliance with forensic exams FY2022
- Independent review commission recommended 82 reforms, 70% implemented by 2022
- PTSD rates among victims: 42% per VA MST study
- Suicide attempts 3x higher for MST survivors, VA data
- $1.1 billion appropriated for MST care 2017-2022
- 95% of units conducted climate assessments FY2022
- Offender accountability improved with 25% higher referrals post-2021 reforms
Prevention/Training/Outcomes Interpretation
The military’s vast investment in prevention training and victim care is a necessary but damning ledger, revealing both the profound scale of the problem and the arduous climb toward a culture where ‘never again’ is a promise kept, not just a slogan taught.
Reporting/Investigation
- Only 28% of unrestricted reports led to court-martial referral in FY2022
- 42% of reports remained restricted in FY2022
- DoD investigated 4,927 subjects from 3,567 unrestricted reports in FY2022
- Conviction rate at courts-martial was 52% for sexual assault charges FY2022
- 81% of victims received advocacy services in FY2022
- Retaliation reported by 49% of victims against reporting FY2022 WGRS
- Army court-martial referrals: 512 in FY2022
- Navy referrals: 298 FY2022
- Air Force: 212 referrals FY2022
- Marines: 142 referrals FY2022
- GAO: 7% of cases dismissed pre-trial 2017-2021
- 62% of investigations completed within 120 days in FY2022
- Victim satisfaction with response: 78% in FY2022 surveys
- 23% of victims faced professional retaliation FY2022
- Restricted reports increased 15% to 3,942 in FY2022
- SARC consultations: 11,000+ in FY2022
- DNA collection in 68% of eligible cases FY2022
- 34% of cases had insufficient evidence for charges FY2022
- Appeals overturned 4% of convictions 2017-2021 per GAO
- 91% of victims notified of case disposition FY2022
- Hotline calls: 22,000 in FY2022
- IG investigations into retaliation: 1,200 FY2022
- Only 12% of estimated assaults reported per WGRS FY2022
- 56% of victims cited fear of disbelief as barrier FY2022
Reporting/Investigation Interpretation
While the military makes a show of assembling the legal machinery for sexual assault cases, with thousands of reports and consultations, the grim reality is that this machine is tragically inefficient—sparking to life only for a select few, as evidenced by the mere 28% of unrestricted reports even reaching a court-martial, a process that too often grinds victims down with retaliation and leaves the majority of estimated assaults shrouded in unreported silence.
Victim Demographics
- Women comprise 17% of active duty force but 35% of victims in FY2022 reports
- 84% of reported victims in FY2022 were enlisted women under 25 years old
- Junior enlisted (E1-E4) made up 58% of female victims in FY2022
- 72% of victims were aged 17-24 in FY2022 DoD reports
- Black or African American Service members were 22% of victims despite being 17% of force
- Hispanic victims comprised 14% of reports in FY2022
- Army women victims: 1,392 unrestricted reports in FY2022
- Navy female victims: 742 unrestricted in FY2022
- Air Force women: 512 unrestricted reports FY2022
- Marines female victims: 298 in FY2022 unrestricted
- Male victims were 20% of total reports in FY2022, mostly enlisted
- 9% of victims were officers in FY2022, primarily women
- LGBTQ+ Service members reported 2x higher victimization rates per WGRS FY2022
- 45% of female academy cadets experienced harassment in FY2018
- RAND found 37% of women at service academies faced coercion
- VA data shows 23% of women veterans experienced military sexual trauma
- 55% of MST victims are Army veterans per VA
- Single women without children reported highest rates at 8.1% prevalence
- Married women: 4.2% sexual assault rate in FY2022 survey
- 68% of victims sought medical care post-assault in FY2022
- 42% of female victims delayed reporting over 1 year, per Protect Our Defenders
- White victims 62% of total despite 70% force composition
- Asian/Pacific Islander victims 5% in FY2022 reports
- 76% of junior enlisted women reported hazing linked to gender
Victim Demographics Interpretation
The statistics paint a grim portrait of a military where the youngest and most junior enlisted women, particularly women of color, bear a grotesquely disproportionate burden of sexual violence, suggesting the institution's protective failures are not a bug but a feature of its current culture.