WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday there has been “real progress” in the Pentagon’s effort to combat sexual assault among the military, but he also said he was troubled that more than 60 percent of the women who filed reports said they faced retaliation.
Hagel unveiled new data that show the number of sexual assaults reported by service members rose by 8 percent this year. But it also included a new anonymous survey that showed victims are becoming more willing to come forward. In addition, the survey showed a decrease in the number of troops who said they were victims of unwanted sexual contact – declining from roughly 26,000 in 2012 to about 19,000 this year.
Hagel said the increase in reporting is good news, but he added that the military still has “a long way to go.”
“Sexual assault threatens the lives and well-being of both the women and the men who serve our country in uniform. It destroys the bonds of trust and confidence which is at the heart of our military,” said Hagel. He added that the retaliation issue is going to be a challenge.
“We must tackle this difficult problem head on,” Hagel told Pentagon reporters. “When someone reports a sexual assault, they need to be embraced and helped, not ostracized or punished with retribution.”