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According to Pentagon figures released on Wednesday, reports of sexual assault in the military have risen sharply over the last year. The Defense department received 3,553 sexual assault complaints from October 2012 through June, a full 50 percent increase over the year before.
According to military officials, the numbers represent a move in the right direction. They're right in the sense that the increased numbers are probably due in part to women feeling more comfortable reporting rapes. But the number of reports just gives more evidence to the argument that the military has a serious sexual assault problem.
The Pentagon figures include complaints of sexual assaults on civilians by military members and by military members on civilians. (Sexual assaults on military members by military members are not included). As The New York Times reports, the number of complaints doesn't come close to matching the number of sexual assaults actually taking place: A separate biannual survey of 1.4 million military members found that "about 26,000 men and women in the military were sexually assaulted in 2011, up from 19,000 in 2010."
Maj. General Gary S. Patton, the director of the department's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office, remains optimistic:
"Folks have heard about the services and programs that we have for victims, and they are walking in the door to get those services. This is a strong indicator that people have heard our message and believe we are going to take care of them."
Some members of Congress think more should be done to help victims and generally reform military culture. Three female senators will offer amendments on the defense bill set to come to the Senate floor this month. Sen. Claire McCaskill's has the support of the Pentagon and Armed Services Committee chairman Sen. Carl Levin, so it's the one that will probably get the most traction. Her amendment would stop commanders from overturning jury verdicts and mandate that anyone convicted of sexual assault be dishonorably discharged or dismissed.