Serving Victims in the Military

The military has undertaken significant initiatives to end sexual violence. The Department of Defense's sexual assault prevention and response program focuses on preventing sexual assault, improving a victim's access to services, increasing the frequency and quality of information provided to victims, and expediting the proper handling and resolution of sexual assault cases. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has established directives that—

• Provide standardized requirements, guidelines, protocols, and instructional materials focused on awareness and prevention at all levels.
• Provide an immediate, trained response capability for each report of sexual assault in all locations, including deployed locations.
• Ensure that victims of sexual assault are protected, are treated with dignity and respect, and receive timely access to appropriate treatment and services.
• Hold people accountable for their actions, which includes the possibility of prosecution for committing acts of sexual assault.

Read on for information about—

• The military legal system.
• Military sexual assault policy.