Sexual incidents up at service academies; half of women in war zones say they were harassed


By SB Anderson

Two developments in the past few days in the ongoing problem of sexual assaults in the military: 

  1. USA Today: “About half of women sent to Iraq or Afghanistan report being sexually harassed, and nearly one in four say they were sexually assaulted, according to new research by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    “The study — based on anonymous surveys of female servicemembers who deployed to war — suggest a far higher prevalence of sexual misconduct against women in war zones than is reflected by complaints gathered by the various service branches.” FULL STORY

  2. A Pentagon survey of military academy students shows a 23% uptick in sexual assault since 2011 and assault “continuess to be a persistent problem,”  according to the director of the Pentagon’s sexual assault prevention and response office. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called for “a strong and immediate response.”

    FULL AP STORY
    → PDF OF THE STUDY
    → PENTAGON RELEASE