Reported Sexual Assaults Up Sharply at the U.S. Service Academies

The U.S. Department of Defense reports that sexual assaults at the three major U.S. service academies were up by 59 percent in the 2010-11 academic year. There were 65 reported sexual assaults that year, up from 41 in the 2009-10 academic year. There were 33 reported sexual assaults at the Air Force Academy (up from 20 the previous year), 22 at the Naval Academy (double the number from 2009-10), and 10 at West Point. The number of reported assaults at West Point was the same as in 2009-10.

The Air Force said that a majority of the sexual assault cases at the academy did not involve perpetrators who were affiliated with the school.

The Pentagon stated that efforts to encourage victims to report sexual assault may be a factor in the increased numbers.