US News
Pentagon reports rise in military sexual assault reporting rate as overall prevalence drops
A biennial Defense Department survey found that a larger share of victims came forward in fiscal 2025, even as estimated incidents and formal reports decreased.
The short version
- An estimated 33% of active-duty service members who experienced unwanted sexual contact reported it in fiscal year 2025, up from 25% in 2023.
- Overall estimated prevalence of unwanted sexual contact and sexual harassment dropped across both female and male active-duty personnel.
- Formal reports of sexual assault submitted to the Department of Defense declined slightly to 7,998 in 2025 from 8,195 in 2024.
- Junior enlisted members and personnel younger than 24 continue to face the highest risk of unwanted sexual contact.
Key facts
- The Pentagon estimates that approximately 20,492 active-duty troops—9,860 women and 10,632 men—experienced unwanted sexual contact in fiscal year 2025.[Associated Press]
- The proportion of victims reporting unwanted sexual contact to department authorities grew from an estimated 25% in fiscal year 2023 to 33% in fiscal year 2025.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Formal reports of sexual assault filed with the Department of Defense decreased from 8,195 in 2024 to 7,998 in 2025.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Estimated unwanted sexual contact rates among active-duty women declined from 6.8% in 2023 to 4.3% in 2025, and fell from 1.3% to 1.0% among active-duty men.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Reported rates of sexual harassment dropped from 24.7% to 17.5% for women and from 5.8% to 4.4% for men between 2023 and 2025.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- The Defense Department noted that junior enlisted personnel and those under 24 remain at higher risk than older or higher-ranking service members.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unclear how recent leadership and policy changes initiated under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will influence future reporting rates and military culture, as the report covers only the initial months of his tenure.[Associated Press · ABC News]