A shocking new report proves that military children are the victims of sex abuse hundreds of times a year — and the Pentagon may be more interested in sweeping the problem under the rug than stopping it.
The hundreds of annual cases were revealed in a Defense Department report obtained exclusively by the Associated Press. The abuse is committed most often by male enlisted troops, according to the data, followed by family members.
With more than 1 million military dependents, the number of cases appears statistically small. But for a profession that prides itself on honor and discipline, any episodes of abuse cast a pall.
And it’s clear that the public may not be getting the full picture, as the report released by the Defense Department was less than forthcoming.
The ages of the offenders and victims, the locations of the incidents and the branch of service that received the report of sexual abuse were all omitted.
It’s also unclear how many of the incidents ever resulted in legal action. The cases represent substantiated occurrences of child sexual abuse reported to the Defense Department’s Family Advocacy Program, but there was no information on follow-up legal proceedings.
An AP investigation published in November found more inmates are in military prisons for child sex crimes than for any other offense. But the military’s opaque justice system keeps the public from knowing the full extent of their crimes or how much time they spend behind bars.
Responding to AP’s findings, three Democratic senators have urged Defense Secretary Ash Carter to lift what they called the military justice system’s “cloak of secrecy” and make records from sex-crimes trials readily accessible.
The senators also raised another concern. Child sex-assault cases are not included in the Defense Department’s annual report to Congress on sexual assaults, which focuses primarily on adult-on-adult incidents, they said. The senators — Barbara Boxer of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii — told Carter in a Dec. 8 letter they are concerned the department may be underestimating how many sexual assaults are occurring in the military.
There were at least 1,584 substantiated cases of military dependents being sexually abused between fiscal years 2010 and 2014, according to the data. Enlisted service members sexually abused children in 840 cases. Family members of the victims accounted for the second largest category with 332 cases.
Most of the enlisted offenders were males whose ranks ranged between E-4 and E-6. In the Marine Corps and Army, for example, those troops are corporals, sergeants and staff sergeants. Officers were involved in 49 of the cases. The victims were overwhelmingly female.
Duplications in the data indicate that as many as 160 additional cases of sexual abuse could have occurred during the 2010 to 2014 period, involving a child who was victimized multiple times or a repeat abuser. The figures also account only for cases involving military dependents, which are the only child victims the department tracks.
This is so disgusting. I am so sick of the Military covering up sexual abuse on children.
The Military is paid with our taxes and we the people should know if there is criminal
activity going on. These abusers need to go to Military Court and then sent to prison
if found guilty. There is no reason for the Military to cover up any, yes any Criminal
Activity. It makes me angry to read that we have serial abusers in the Military.
The R now just like the Vatican and Churches covering up for their priests!
Yes you are very right.
The members of the military come from society. Maybe sex abuse numbers would go down if our nation returned the the Judeo-Christian values taught in the Bible. When you have sexual deviants and perverts raised as heroes in entertainment and politics, the values of society are affected. Our enlisted men and women reflect the values of the society from which they come.
Amen!
We will be seeing the results of barring “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” ruling by the President for years to come. The respect of the flag, country, and military customs have been side lined for a more liberal agenda. Open gays in the military is hard on moral, hard on focus of mission, but adds unneeded pressure to the ranks that must oversee training. Limiting ministers in the Armed Forces and banning ceremonies that have been celebrated over history has started the down fall of our nation. the few good Generals that stood in opposition have been removed by tricks or smoking mirrors. The Manchurian President….that is what we have. Sad for our nation.
I am so disgusted with the government and the Pentagon- it has always been status quo! Nothing changes – no one has the gumption to take a stand while the smallest of dependents have no voice or recourse! And that is exactly WHY I am writing in hopes that this artlcle on the Pentagon will get others mad. My husband was a military officer and we had recently moved from the Far East. In the 80’s not much was known about the effects of abuse or molestation and I would characterize the mental health interests in the military at the time next to 0 or nonexistent. Our small son was molested by another child on the military base where we lived and after Child Protective Services of the town investigated, it was found in the “cycle of abuse,” that the child’s teenage brother & sister were abusing him and ultimately the enlisted father, found to be the original perpetrator! What did the military do? Nothing – absolutely nothing! Swept it all under the rug. They transferred the family to another base and we were told that our son would forget it all. Unfortunately, he has been left with years and years of trauma and counseling!
Let’s lift the veil. Where ever they come from is not as important as
where the abusers GO, TO PRISON
ON LONG HARD LABOR, WITH NO
GOODIES LIKE TV A RECREATION
FACILITES, REDUCED TIME FOR
GOOD CONDUCT.
QUIT SLAPPING THE HANDS OF
THE GUILTY.
PUT THEM BACK TO WORK IN THE
PRISON WORKSHOPS LIKE THOSE
OF 75-100 YRS AGO. MAKE THEM EARN THEIR KEEP.
REBUILD THE ‘ISLAND’ FOR 3rd
TIME OFFENDERS.
GET TOUGH WITH UNSOCIAL
MISFITS. Aman.
Yes, it does happen and in our family it was the mother who caused the abuse of her 3 yr old son and 6 yr old daughter. To make a long story short, when our son found out about it, he went to court and was able to obtain custody of his Son only. Since he was remarried and had a step son, the judge said that the mother had caused this so she should have to put up with what she created in the daughter and he would not ruin another (both boys) in another family. The man who did the dirty deeds for the mother to watch, hung himself. My opinion, is that any man who is caught whether muslim or not violating a young girl should immediate have the operation to make him a Eunick. This only has to happen once or twice and they will get the message and go to a house of ill repute instead. By the way, both kids are now just fine mentally and have forgotten the incident which was fortunate. Happened on a US Navy Base in the USA. The mother gave up her career in the Navy because she was afraid of what would happen to her.
I was sexually abuse when I was a child, I didn’t get help until I was in my 40s. Took me six years to get rid of all the trama. I married 2 men in the military. the last 1 was very good with me. He helped me so much.They aren’t all bad, but the 1s that are, are so bad.