Background
Public and congressional attention to the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) efforts
to prevent and respond to sexual assault in the military (SAIM) is increasing. To
promote reporting, the DoD offers (1) restricted reporting, allowing confidential
reporting to designated military personnel without triggering an official investigation,
and (2) unrestricted reporting, which initiates a criminal investigation.
Purpose
To identify factors associated with officially reporting SAIM by examining demographic,
military, and sexual assault characteristics and survey reporting perceptions and
experiences. Differences between active component (AC) (full-time active duty) and
Reserve and National Guard (RNG) were explored.
Methods
A Midwestern community sample of currently serving and veteran servicewomen (1,339)
completed structured telephone interviews. RNG interviews were conducted March 2010
to September 2010 and AC interviews from October 2010 to December 2011. Data were
analyzed in 2013. Logistic regression analyses examined demographic, military, and
SA characteristics related to SAIM reporting. Bivariate statistics tested differences
between AC and RNG.
Results
A total of 205 servicewomen experienced SAIM and 25% reported. More AC servicewomen
experienced SAIM, but were no more likely to report than RNG servicewomen. Restricted
reporting was rated more positively, but unrestricted reporting was used more often.
Reporters’ experiences corroborated non-reporters’ concerns of lack of confidentiality,
adverse treatment by peers, and beliefs that nothing would be done. Officers were
less likely to report than enlisted servicewomen.
Conclusions
Actual and perceived reporting consequences deter servicewomen from reporting. SAIM
undermines trust in military units, mission readiness, and the health and safety of
all service members.
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to American Journal of Preventive MedicineAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Military sexual trauma: a silent syndrome.J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2013; 51: 20-26
Mullen B, O’Connor T. Sexual assault response in the military. In: Ledray LE, Burgess AW, Giardino AP, eds. Medical response to adult sexual assault: a resource for clinicians and related professionals. Saint Louis MO: STM Learning, Inc., 2011.
- Task Force report on care for victims of sexual assault.Department of Defense, Washington DC2004
- Department of Defense Directive Number 6495.01.Department of Defense, Washington DC2013
- Is reporting of rape on the rise? A comparison of women with reported versus unreported rape experiences in the National Women׳s Study-Replication.J Interpers Violence. 2011; 26: 807-832
- Drug-facilitated, incapacitated, and forcible rape: a national study.Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC2007 Feb (Report No.: 219181)
- The factors related to rape reporting behavior and arrest: new evidence from the National Crime Victimization Survey.Crim Justice Behav. 1998; 25: 8-29
- Analysis and implications of the omission of offenders in the DoD care for victims of sexual assault task force report.Violence Against Women. 2007; 13: 961-970
- 2010 workplace and gender relations survey of active duty members: overview report on sexual assault.Defense Manpower Data Center, Arlington VA2011 Mar (Report No.: 2010–025)
- The sexual victimization of college women.U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, Washington DC2000 Dec (Report No.: NCJ 182369)
- Sexual assault prevalence, reporting and policies: comparing college and university campuses and military service academies.Security J. 2009; 22: 56-72
- The sexual assault and secondary victimization of female veterans: help-seeking experiences with military and civilian social systems.Psychol Women Q. 2005; 29: 97-106
- Reporting sexual victimization to the police and others: results from a national-level study of college women.Criminal Justice Behav. 2003; 30: 6-38
- Department of Defense 1995 sexual harassment survey.Defense Manpower Data Center, Arlington VA1996 Dec (Report No.: 96–014)
- Armed Forces 2002 sexual harrassment survey.Defense Manpower Data Center, Arlington VA2003 Nov (Report No.: 2003–026)
- 2006 gender relations survey of active duty members.Defense Manpower Data Center, Arlington VA2008 Mar (Report No.: 2007–022)
- 2012 workplace and gender relations survey of active duty members: survey note.Defense Manpower Data Center, Arlington VA2013 Mar (Report No.: 2013–2007)
- 2004 sexual harassment survey of reserve component members.Defense Manpower Data Center, Arlington VA2005 Jun (Report No.: 2005–010)
- 2008 gender relations survey of reserve component members.Defense Manpower Data Center, Arlington VA2009 Mar (Report No.: 2008–043)
- 2012 workplace and gender relations survey of reserve component members: survey note.Defense Manpower Data Center, Arlington VA2013 Jan (Report No.: 2013–002)
- Extent, nature and consequences of rape victimization: findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey.U.S. Department of Justice, Washington DC2006 (Report No.: NCJ 210346)
- Female victims of sexual violence, 1994–2010.U.S. Department of Justice, Washington DC2013 (Report No.: NCJ 240655)
- Panetta announces initiatives targeting sexual assault.American Forces Press Service, Washington DC2012
- Educational bulletin. Sexual assault.ACOG Educ Bull. 1997; 242: 756-762
- Strategies for treatment and prevention of sexual asault.American Medical Association, Chicago IL1995
- Rape in America: a report to the nation.Medical School University of South Carolina, National Victim Center and Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Charleston SC1992
- Rape and sexual victimization, measurement of.in: Fisher B.S. Lab S.P. Encyclopedia of victimology and crime prevention. SAGE Publications, Inc., Thousand Oaks CA2010
- Factors associated with women’s risk of rape in the military environment.Am J Ind Med. 2003; 43: 262-273
- Lifespan and repeated violence against women during military service: effects on health status and outpatient utilization.J Womens Health. 2004; 13: 799-811
- Lifetime sexual assault and cervical cytologic abnormalities among military women.J Womens Health. 2011; 20: 1693-1701
- Findings from the 2010 prevalence/incidence survey of sexual assault in the Air Force: final report.Gallup Government, Washington DC2010
Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response. Department of Defense annual report on sexual assault in the military: fiscal year 2012. Washington DC, 2013 Apr. Report No.: 5–9DB8000.
- Reserve component personnel issues: questions and answers.Congressional Research Service. 2013 Jul; (Report No.: RL30802)
- DOD implements changes to sexual assault response.American Forces Press Service, Washington DC2012
- Violence—a global public health problem.in: Krug E. Dahlberg L.L. Mercy J.A. Zwi A.B. Lozano R. World report on violence and health. WHO, Geneva Switzerland2002
- National framework for sexual assault prevention.Commonwealth of Australia. 2004;
- Repeat rape and multiple offending among undetected rapists.Violence Vict. 2002; 17: 73-84
- Neutralizing sexual victimization: a typology of victims’ non-reporting accounts.Theor Criminol. 2011; 15: 445-467
Article Info
Publication History
Published online: May 19, 2014
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc.
