WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Pentagon has reported rise in sexual assault incidents in the U.S. military.
The data has been included in the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, released by The Department of War.
It shows that reporting of sexual assault incidents by active-duty Service members increased from 25 percent in FY 2023 to 33 percent in FY 2025.
The FY 2025 report incorporates findings from the 2025 Workplace Experiences Survey - a congressionally mandated assessment measuring the prevalence of unwanted sexual contact, sexual harassment, and sex discrimination across the force.
It shows that the prevalence of unwanted sexual contact among active-duty Service members decreased from FY 2023 - the last time that the Workplace Experiences Survey was administered - to FY 2025. The estimated rate of unwanted sexual contact for active-duty men decreased from 1.3 percent to 1 percent and the estimated rate of unwanted sexual contact for active-duty women decreased from 6.8 percent to 4.3 percent.
Based on these rates, the Department estimates that 20,492 Service members experienced some form of unwanted sexual contact in FY 2025, which is 8,500 fewer personnel compared to FY 2023.
Likewise, the FY 2025 report shows that the prevalence of sexual harassment within the active-duty force decreased between FY 2023 and FY 2025. The estimated rate of sexual harassment for active-duty men decreased from 5.8 percent to 4.4 percent, and the estimated rate of sexual harassment for active-duty women decreased from 24.7 percent to 17.5 percent.
The Department of War urged greater reporting to connect warfighters with vital restorative care and enable leadership to hold offenders accountable.
The Department said it remains focused on strengthening prevention and response activities and is ensuring that Service members can operate with confidence and maintain absolute focus on the mission.
Required by Congress, the Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military presents critical statistics, trend analyses, and updates on the Department's ongoing efforts to prevent and respond to sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military.
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