DoD releases report on sexual assaults, Presidio of Monterey on list

A new report released by the Department of Defense shows the number of sexual assault allegations received at combat areas and military installations, including the Presidio of Monterey.

It’s important to note victims of sexual assault in the DoD can report any incident at any time, so these report numbers do not necessarily mean all the assaults occurred at the said location.

According to the records, the Presidio of Monterey received 36 total reports of sexual assault in 2013, 34 in 2014 and 41 in 2015. And last year, there were 19 total reports made, over a 50 percent decline.

The reports are broken down into two categories–unrestricted and restricted. A restricted report is not referred for criminal investigation or to commanders. According to DoD, this option allows the reporter to confidentially seek advocacy and support/medical services. Meanwhile, an unrestricted report is referred for criminal investigation and to commanders.

Though the Presidio has seen a decline, the report shows a greater number of members are reporting sexual assault than ever before.

The new data suggests about one in three service members chose to report their sexual assault last year, up from about one in 14 estimated ten years ago.

“We must eliminate sexual assault in the military,” said Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis. “Our Department cannot tolerate actions that weaken unit cohesion, leadership, or training – the ingredients of combat effectiveness. The increased reporting and decreased prevalence captured in this report reflect higher confidence among our troops in our programs and policies. Every policy and every decision must keep faith with our people and ensure our military is ready to fight. This starts with treating all hands with respect and setting an atmosphere of trust that builds combat readiness. I will not tolerate conduct prejudicial to our values”

To view the full report, also broken down by branch, click here.