A Public Health Approach to Sexual Violence in Military Communities

Sexual violence in U.S. military communities is a serious public health problem. The Department of Defense with significant recommendations and enforcement by Congress has taken step to address the problem. However, the effort has not captured the true magnitude of the problem. Current reports of sexual violence in military communities focus on sexual assault of military members and fail to account for military family members, DoD employees, and their family members who form military communities. In order to combat sexual violence in military communities, a comprehensive approach to sexual violence must be used that includes all community members and all types of sexual violence. The overall purpose of this study was to examine how military programs are executed, if current policy related to sexual violence are meeting stated goals and recommendations, and to understand how perceptions of sexual violence in military communities could be affecting Americans and military recruitment efforts. To better understand sexual violence in military communities, three distinct studies were undertaken. These studies are related in that they examine the associations between current military sexual violence program approaches, the most associated policy, and their potential effects beyond military communities. The first two studies, a scoping review and policy analysis, show that current military sexual violence programs are disjointed and confusing for those who experience sexual violence in military communities, and that the most current sexual harassment policy fails to incorporate recommendations from the Government Accountability Office and meet their intended goals. The third study reports a survey conducted to explore to what extent perceptions of sexual violence in military communities affect their decision to not join the U.S. military and how gender influences their decision. Overall, this study found more than a quarter of participants, regardless of their gender, stated that their perceptions of sexual violence in military communities affects their decision to not join the U.S. military. This dissertation presents an innovative approach to understanding sexual violence in military communities. By looking at sexual violence from three different perspectives, it furthers our understanding of current approaches, policies, and the effect of sexual violence in military communities.