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In his first directive since taking office, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin gave his senior leadership two weeks to send him reports on sexual assault prevention programs in the military and an assessment of that. who worked and what did not.
Austin’s memo, which was released on Saturday, fulfills a pledge made to senators last week during confirmation hearings. The pick of Joe Biden, a retired army general, has vowed to immediately tackle issues of sexual assault and harassment in the ranks.
“It’s all about leadership,” Austin said in his two-page memo. “We will lead.”
Senator after Senator demanded to know what Austin was planning to do to resolve the issue. Reports of sexual assault have risen steadily since 2006, according to department reports, including a 13% jump in 2018 and a 3% increase in 2019. 2020 data is not yet available.
The 2018 increase fueled congressional anger, and lawmakers have repeatedly called for action, including changes to the Military Justice Code.
“Do you agree that we cannot continue to do the same thing that we have been doing for the past decade?” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York, said during Austin’s confirmation hearing. “Do I have your commitment to be relentless on this issue until we can end the scourge of sexual violence in the military?”
Austin agreed, telling senators, “It starts with me and you can count on me after that on day one.”
Austin arrived at the Pentagon on Friday but spent his early hours in meetings with key executives. He was at the Pentagon again on Saturday, phoning his counterparts around the world, and he signed the memo.
During his hearing and in the memo, Austin acknowledged that the military has long struggled with the problem, but must do better.
The directive asks each executive to present a summary of actions of sexual assault and harassment taken over the past year that appear promising, as well as an assessment of those that do not. And he asked for relevant data for the past decade, including efforts to support victims.
“Include in your report the consideration of new approaches in one of these areas,” he said, adding that “we should not be afraid to be creative.” Austin said he plans to hold a meeting on the issue with senior leaders in the coming days.
Nate Galbreath, acting director of the Pentagon’s Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, said last April that he was cautiously optimistic that the decline in the increase in 2019 suggested a downward trend in assaults . But he also said sexual assaults were vastly underreported.
Galbreath and military leaders have rolled out new programs, including increased education and training and efforts to encourage the military to step in when they see a bad situation. Last year, officials announced a new initiative to eliminate serial offenders.
Many victims do not file criminal reports, which means investigators cannot prosecute alleged perpetrators. Under the new system, victims who do not wish to file a public report are encouraged to provide confidential details.
Galbreath and others also argued that the increase in reporting was a good sign in that it showed victims were more willing to come forward.
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