Military leaders say that the number of sexual assault cases across the armed forces has decreased.
That is according to a new Department of Defense (DOD) survey showing that the rate of unwanted sexual contact for active-duty men has decreased from 1.3% in Fiscal Year 2023—the last time the survey was administered—to 1% in FY25. The estimated rate of unwanted sexual contact for active-duty women decreased from 6.8% to 4.3% over the same period, DOD found.
Congress requires that the DOD makes the annual report on sexual assault in the military as part of its ongoing efforts to prevent and respond to harassment in the military.
“Dignity, respect, and discipline are foundational to the warrior ethos and the overall preparedness of the force. Sexual assault and sexual harassment undermine these values, eroding trust and threatening the mission,” Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony J. Tata said in a statement.
Survivors of military sexual trama frequently experience debilitating psychological consequences, including high rates of PTSD and other mental health issues. These incidents also damage unit cohesion, compromise institutional trust, and degrades mission capability.
Tata added that the report “underscores our ongoing commitment to maintaining high standards, protecting our people, and building a unified, ready, and lethal fighting force.”
Report’s Major Findings
The report found that the estimated rate of sexual harassment for active-duty men decreased from 5.8% to 4.4% between FY23 and FY25, and the estimated rate of sexual harassment for active-duty women decreased from 24.7% to 17.5%.
In FY25, the DOD had enough evidence to take disciplinary action in 1,321 cases of individuals investigated over allegations of sexual assault.
The Navy was the military branch with the greatest proportion of unwanted sexual contact and harassment cases, with 5.1% of female cases and 1.5% of male cases.
The service found that reporting of sexual assault incidents increased from 25% to 33%. DOD said it encouraged greater reporting so that leadership can “hold offenders appropriately accountable.”
Based on the report’s findings, the DOD estimated that 20,492 service members overall experienced some form of unwanted sexual conduct in 2025. That is 8,500 fewer people than in FY23.
At a macro level, lawmakers are working behind the scenes to combat sexual abuse and associated crimes in the military.
The Military Sexual Trauma Accountability Act, introduced in June by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, and John Kennedy (R-La.), would permit military service members and veterans to bring civil claims against the nation for negligence that contributed to military sexual trauma over the course of their service.
“In recent years, Congress has taken meaningful steps to help empower service members to report instances of sexual assault and harassment,” Shaheen said in a statement. “But in order to build on that progress and root out the negligence that has allowed for sexual harassment and assault to thrive in our military, survivors must be able to pursue every possible avenue for legal recourse.
The new DOD survey cost $3,007,000. This included $2,180,100 in expenses and $827,000 in DOD labor.
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