Reported sexual assaults in U.S. military up 1% in 2022: Pentagon data

The number of reported sexual assaults in the U.S. military rose by about 1% in the last fiscal year, according to data released by the Pentagon Thursday.

In total, there were 8,942 instances of sexual assault reported to the Defense Department in fiscal year 2022, according to the congressionally-mandated annual report on sexual assault in the military. A fiscal year is the timespan from the end of September through the following 12 months.

The new figures represent just under 1% more assaults than were reported in the 2021 fiscal year when 8,866 reports were received. That is a far less significant jump than the 13% spike seen in 2021.

Of the 3,928 cases in which outcomes were reported, 3,188 were reported for consideration by superiors with evidence supporting disciplinary action in 2,117 cases, the report said. Commanders were either not able to take action, or the victim declined to seek further remedy in the military's justice system, in 1,031 cases.

Just 40 cases were determined to be baseless or false.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the establishment of an independent review panel to look into sexual assault in the U.S. military in February 2021. The body made recommendations to the Pentagon the following July to better prevent sexual assault in the military, which Pentagon brass have been working to implement.