Pentagon report shows rise in sexual assault reporting among U.S. troops

A Pentagon report released Friday indicates that more U.S. service members are reporting unwanted sexual contact to authorities, even as the overall prevalence of such incidents declined last year.

According to the findings, approximately 33% of active duty personnel who experienced unwanted sexual contact in fiscal year 2025 reported the incidents, an increase from the 25% reported in fiscal year 2023. Defense officials suggest this rise in reporting reflects growing confidence in the military's reporting systems and support for victims.

Despite the increase in reporting rates, the total number of sexual assault reports received by the Department of Defense fell to 7,998 in 2025, down from 8,195 in 2024. Confidential surveys also showed a decrease in the prevalence of unwanted sexual contact and harassment for both men and women. For women, unwanted sexual contact fell from an estimated 6.8% in 2023 to 4.3% last year, while sexual harassment rates dropped from 24.7% to 17.5%.