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GAO-12-571R 1 (2012-03-30)

handle is hein.gao/gaobacfxn0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Accountabiliy - Integrity - Reliability United States Government Accountability Office Washington, DC 20548 March 30, 2012 The Honorable Louise M. Slaughter Ranking Member Committee on Rules House of Representatives Subject: Military Personnel: Prior GAO Work on DOD's Actions to Prevent and Respond to Sexual Assault in the Military Dear Ms. Slaughter: Sexual assault is a crime that has a far-reaching negative impact on individuals, families, and communities. It also has additional implications for the military services because it undermines their core values, degrades mission readiness and esprit de corps, subverts strategic goodwill, and raises financial costs. Since 2004, following a series of high-profile sexual assault cases, Congress has taken steps to address this crime in the military, including passing legislation that directed the Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive policy for the Department of Defense (DOD) on the prevention of, and response to, sexual assaults involving members of the Armed Forces.1 Among other things, the legislation required DOD to establish a standardized departmentwide definition of sexual assault and procedures for confidentially reporting sexual assault incidents. DOD established the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) program in 2005 to promote prevention, encourage increased reporting of the crime, and improve response capabilities for victims. DOD has formally defined sexual assault as intentional sexual contact, characterized by use of force, threats, intimidation, abuse of authority, or when the victim does not or cannot consent. Sexual assault includes rape, forcible sodomy (oral or anal sex), and other unwanted sexual contact that is aggravated, abusive, or wrongful (to include unwanted and inappropriate sexual contact), or attempts to commit these acts.'2 DOD and the military services rely largely on Commanders and Sexual Assault Response Coordinators to implement SAPR programs at military installations, including the coordinating and reporting of sexual assault incidents. Other responders include victim advocates, military lawyers (known as judge advocates), medical and mental health providers, criminal investigative personnel, law enforcement personnel, and chaplains. 1Pub. L. No. 108-375, § 577, 118 Stat. 1811, 1926-28 (2004). 2Department of Defense Directive 6495.01, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Program (Oct. 6, 2005). DOD released revisions to its Directive in January 2012. GAO-12-571R Military Personnel

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