Sexual assault in the military is a topic that has recently gained public attention as brave victims come out with their stories of abuse. Despite increase in public recognition of this crime, the confidential nature of the military contributes to many victims not disclosing their abuse. The lack of transparency of sexual assault in the military makes research into the subject a difficult endeavor. The purpose of this chapter is to create a summary of the current state of the literature regarding sexual assault in the military. In particular, focus will be placed on the estimated pervasiveness of sexual assault in the military, the factors that place victims at risk, and the policies and norms that perpetuate a culture in which sexual assault can occur. It is important to recognize that the military is not a monolith, and culture, policies and norms can vary drastically not only between different branches, but also between different command stations within the same branch and can be heavily influenced by the actions of the chain of command and the situational stresses created by the command's mission. In the context of these challenges, this chapter will give an overview of the issue of sexual assault in the military, present a cohesive picture that summarizes the existing research, and highlights deficiencies in the literature where more research is needed. It will also explore how military policies of confidentiality and secrecy tend to harm victims and aid perpetrators and recommend future avenues of research in the field that can serve to help bring more attention to this crucial topic. Military sexual trauma is a preventable occupational hazard and efforts need to be directed toward its eradication.
