WomenVetsUSA

« Library List | « Sexual Harassment/Assault/Trauma

GAO Report 16-61: Sexual Assault:Actions Needed to Improve DOD’s Prevention Strategy and to Help Ensure It Is Effectively Implemented (November 2015)

Category: Sexual Harassment/Assault/Trauma

In GAO Report 16-61, Sexual Assault:Actions Needed to Improve DOD's Prevention Strategy and to Help Ensure It Is Effectively Implemented, dated November 2015, the GAO states that:  "Sexual assault is a crime that devastates victims and has a far-reaching negative impact for DOD because it undermines DOD's core values, degrades mission readiness, and raises financial costs. DOD data show that reported sexual assaults involving servicemembers more than doubled from about 2,800 reports in fiscal year 2007 to about 6,100 reports in fiscal year 2014. Based on results of a 2014 survey, RAND estimated that 20,300 active-duty servicemembers were sexually assaulted in the prior year."

When GAO conducted their program assessment, they noted that:

  • "DOD identifies five domains in its strategy and includes risk factors for three—individuals, relationships, and society—but it does not specify risk factors for the other two domains—leaders at all levels of DOD and the military community.
  • DOD does not specify how the protective factors, such as emotional health, identified in its strategy relate to the five domains.
  • DOD may be limited in its ability to take an evidence-based approach to the prevention of sexual assault."

External Website:
Government Accounting Office

Downloads (PDF documents)