Reported sexual assaults across all U.S. military service branches up 13%

The number of reported sexual assaults in the U.S. military reportedly increased 13% last year, with high percentage increases in the Army and Navy driving up the numbers.

A major factor for the increase was bases curtailing pandemic restrictions and public venues reopened, according to the military reports, reviewed by the Associated Press.

The wire service also reports that nearly 36,000 service members said in a confidential survey that they had experienced unwanted sexual contact, compared to roughly 20,000 who said that in a similar 2018 survey, U.S. defense and military officials said.

Whether the survey is part or separate from the larger report is unclear.

The numbers are expected to draw the attention of Congress, whose members have been critical of the Pentagon’s efforts to reduce sexual crimes and misconduct and who have worked for years on legislation to improve matters.

Officials said a nearly 26% increase in reported cases involving Army soldiers led the overall increases. 

The increase in Navy reports was about 9%, followed by the Air Force at roughly 2% and the Marine Corps at less than 2%, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to the wire service because the reporting has not yet been made public.