US Army sexual assaults top all services combined

An internal Army-wide message issued Tuesday by the Army chief of staff states that sexual assaults “continue to occur at an unacceptable rate” as the service in 2007 “accounted for more assaults than the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force combined.”

The message, which did not focus on any specific location or group, states that there were 1,516 reported cases of sexual assault in 2007 among 590,000 active and mobilized soldiers representing a 2.6 assault rate per thousand.

The Army data, which was contained in a March 14 Defense Department annual report to Congress on sexual assaults in the military, showed that the vast majority of Army sexual assault victims were 24 or younger, in the ranks of specialist and below and more than 90 percent female, according to the message.

More than half the reported cases took place on post Friday through Sunday and were committed by males that fit the same age and rank demographic as the females.

Alcohol was a “significant factor” in the assaults on the part of both the perpetrators and victims, something the chief of staff message says is part of what leaders should understand as part of the general profile of a sexual assault.

“Leaders must take this information and use it to identify and mitigate the risks associated with sexual assault,” the message said, pointing out that the Army’s sexual assault program is a “command program and a leadership responsibility that requires leaders to get involved and stay involved.”

The “all Army activity” message which was posted at the Army Knowledge Online Web site and obtained by the Army Times, announces that Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey and Army Secretary Pete Geren have directed the Army G-1 to lead a general officer steering committee to review the Army’s Sexual Assault Prevention Action Plan.

The committee will report back to Casey and Geren in 60 days and the recommendations will be presented to Congress 60 days after that.

“The secretary and I reviewed the Army data and we are not satisfied with the results of our prevention program,” Casey said in a “CSA Sends” message, which promises that the program will be overhauled and aggressive steps taken to develop a new prevention initiative.

According to the message, the overhaul will focus on addressing negative social influencers, increasing peer-to-peer bystander intervention, developing skill sets among soldiers that could stop assaults before they happen and “aligning all prevention measures with Army values.”

The initiatives, the message says, will be the centerpiece of a sexual assault prevention program campaign that will begin this summer.

“Sexual assault is a serious problem across our society and our Army that requires the direct, immediate and continuous attention of all Army leaders,” says the message.

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