Chuck Hagel criticized the US military for a culture of retaliation towards service members who report sexual assault in a speech on Friday, in what is likely to be one of the last public addresses he will make as secretary of defense.
Hagel said the military needs to create an environment where social retaliation is not “unfairly put on victims”, in closing remarks for the US Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Summit at Joint Base Andrews naval air facility in Maryland.
Of the women who reported a sexual assault to the military in 2014, 62% said they experienced a form of retaliation, according to a Pentagon report released in December.
“You could pass all the laws you want, that isn’t going to fix the problem of retaliation,” said Hagel. “Retaliation comes in an environment because the personal commitment of the individual allows it to happen, then it won’t get fixed. We’ve got to come at it in every way.”
Active duty officers, air national guard and reserve members who are stationed across the globe participated in the five-day summit. The event includes speakers and break-out discussions about topics related to sexual assault like alcohol abuse in the military.
Summit attendees wore civilian clothes and did not address each other by rank. About 150 air force members attended the first day of the summit.
Hagel announced in November that he would be stepping down from his post, reportedly under pressure from the Obama administration. He concluded his speech acknowledging that his time in office is coming to an end. “I can’t tell you how proud I’ve been to serve with you and be part of your team the last two years and I wish you much success,” said Hagel.
President Barack Obama announced last month that Ashton Carter is the nominee to take over the secretary of defense post. The Senate must confirm the nomination before Carter can take over.
Carter will be pushed to address criticisms of the military’s response to sexual assault, which Hagel said is not where it needs to be.
Defense department leaders have in recent years become more active in addressing the long-existing problem of sexual assault in the military after a number of high-profile cases led to intense criticism of the government’s response to the crisis.
Hagel said that institutions like college campuses are looking to the military to see how they can address systemic sexual assault, claiming that it has been the most open institution in the country in addressing the issue. “We’ve been more forthcoming, more direct, more transparent – than any institution, certainly in this country, probably in the world.”
Reports of sexual assault filed by military members jumped 50% from the fiscal year ending in 2012 to the fiscal year ending in 2013, according to Pentagon data released in May 2014. Whether this increase was due to an increase in assaults or more people coming forward with claims is unclear.
Hagel said the most significant thing that military personnel can do is to protect each other and intervene if they sense a dangerous situation.
“If you see something, if you sense something, it is your responsibility to step in and deal with it,” Hagel said. “Stop it. If you can’t stop it, get somebody who will stop it. Be aware. Don’t walk away.”
