Pentagon Releases Strategy Targeting Retaliation

The Pentagon on Thursday released a department-wide strategy aimed at preventing and responding to retaliation toward service members who have reported sexual assault or sexual harassment. The strategy proposes standardizing definitions, addresses the need to improve data collection and analysis, suggests working to build supportive systems of investigation and accountability, proposes ways to provide “comprehensive support” to those who report retaliation, and aims to create “a culture intolerant of retaliation.” Continuing sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military is “unacceptable,” the strategy states. “Commanders and leaders at every level have the ability and the duty to stop retaliation and create the professional culture American citizens demand and service members deserve.” (Read the full strategy.)