The Department of Defense (DoD) released the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military today.
This year's report, which is required annually by Congress, contains sexual assault reporting data and provides an update on the Department's efforts to prevent sexual assault, enhance victim care and support, and improve compliance with policy and law. This year's report also contains a summary of the results from the QuickCompass of Sexual Assault Response Personnel Survey, which assesses the training, workload, resourcing, and job experiences of frontline staff executing sexual assault prevention and response programs within the Military Services.
In FY 2024, the Department received a total of 8,195 reports of sexual assault, which is a decrease of 320 reports received in FY 2023. Currently, the Department cannot provide a comprehensive interpretation of this decrease because a prevalence survey was not conducted in FY 2024. As required by law, prevalence survey data will be collected this year for inclusion in the FY 2025 report. The Department encourages greater reporting of sexual assault to connect warfighters with restorative care and to hold alleged offenders appropriately accountable.
"As Secretary Hegseth has observed, 'the strength of our military is our unity and our shared purpose,'" said Tim Dill, who is performing the duties of deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. "The Department owes our Service members a workplace with high standards and an environment that fosters trust, collaboration, and results. This report underscores the Department's continuing commitment to reducing harmful behaviors and countering sexual assault to help shape the ready, lethal fighting force required to achieve peace through strength."
The Department's commitment to restoring the warrior ethos is critical to maintaining our strong and ready warfighters. Sexual violence has no place in our military — it will not be tolerated, condoned, or ignored. Such actions undermine unit cohesion, readiness, lethality and fundamentally contradict our efforts to restore the warrior ethos.
"Countering sexual assault is vital to maintaining the high standards of our Military Services and strengthening our fighting force," said Dr. Nate Galbreath, director of the DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. "The Department will continue to support prevention and response efforts that fortify unit cohesion and emphasize accountability and readiness."
The Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report of Sexual Assault in the Military and a fact sheet are available on https://www.sapr.mil/reports.
