If you need support now call the DoD Safe Helpline (877) 995-5247 or 911. For other resources, see our Survivor Resources page​.

Reactions at the Academy

Statistics are from the 2018 Service Academy Gender Relations Survey (SAGR) and DoD Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at Military Service Academies, Academic Program Year 2017-2018 and its appendices/annexes, unless otherwise noted.

Evidence of Victim/Survivor Abuse

• 34% of USAFA men and 36% of USAFA women perceived people cried rape to avoid punishment after making a regrettable decision
• 28% of USAFA men and 58% of USAFA women perceived “Victim Blaming” occurs
• 48% of USAFA men and 77% of USAFA women perceived a “victim’s reputation affects whether Academy peers believe he or she was assaulted”
  

Male Cadet Perceptions and Reactions

• USAFA men indicate a lack of trust in the Academy if they were to experience Sexual Assault[2] in the future:
  • 50% indicate they would trust the Academy to protect their privacy
  • 63% indicate they would trust the Academy to ensure their safety
  • 63% indicate they would trust the Academy to treat them with dignity and respect following the reported incident
  • While the USAFA Men’s numbers were significantly higher than those of the USAFA Women, both the USAFA Women and the USAFA Men scored considerably lower in these categories then their counterparts at USNA and USMA
• 30% of USAFA men did not report a Sex-Based Military Equal Opportunity (MEO) violation because they did not believe anything would be done.
• 62% of USAFA men felt that Cadet Leaders make efforts to stop Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment[4] (down from 64% in 2016).
• 20% of men thought their evaluations or chances for leadership positions would suffer if they reported sex-based MEO violations.

Female Cadet Perceptions and Reactions

• 43% of female cadets who reported USC perceived ostracism, 31% negative outcomes[1] and 25% professional reprisal.

•  USAFA women indicate a significant lack of trust in the Academy if they were to experience Sexual Assault[2] in the future:
  • 30% indicate they would trust the Academy to protect their privacy
  • 39% indicate they would trust the Academy to ensure their safety
  • 37% indicate they would trust the Academy to treat them with dignity and respect following the reported incident
• 43% of USAFA women did not report a Sex-Based Military Equal Opportunity (MEO) violation[3] because they did not believe anything would be done.
• 38% of USAFA women felt that Cadet Leaders make efforts to stop Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment[4] (down from 49% in 2016).
• 33% of women thought their evaluations or chances for leadership positions would suffer if they reported sex-based MEO violations.

[1] Negative behaviors from cadet peers or leadership that occurred without a valid military purpose, and may include physical or psychological force, threats, or abusive or unjustified treatment that results in physical or mental harm.

[2] DoDD 6495.01 defines sexual assault as any “intentional sexual contact characterized by use of force, threats, intimidation, or abuse of authority or when the victim does not or cannot consent” (Department of Defense, 2015b). Under this definition, sexual assault includes rape, aggravated sexual contact, abusive sexual contact, forcible sodomy (forced oral or anal sex), or attempts to commit these acts. “Consent” shall not be deemed or construed to mean the failure by the victim to offer physical resistance.
 
[3] Sex-Based Military Equal Opportunity Violations: These categories of behaviors include sexual harassment (i.e., sexually hostile work environment and sexual quid pro quo) and gender discrimination.

[4] The DoD military sexual harassment policy was defined in 1995, and revised in 2015 in DoDD 1350.2 as: “A form of sex discrimination that involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a person’s job, pay, or career, or (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by a person is used as a basis for career or employment decisions affecting that person, or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.​

Reactions across America

​Both sexual assault survivors and those in their community are affected by the crime committed. Knowing the common reactions can help you to see that you are not alone in your feelings. Note that the General Reactions and Common Thoughts listed below are not complete lists, but just the most common reactions reported to particular agencies.

Common Thoughts (St. John's University - recommend reading the rest of the article)

• "Why did this happen to me?"
• "When will I be okay? When will this be over? When will I stop feeling so bad?"
• "How do I get over this?"
• "No one understands!"
• "I feel like I am going crazy!"
• "It wasn’t that big of a deal."
• "I’m just imagining this. This couldn’t really have happened."

General Reactions (RAINN, Amherst Police Department, University of Maryland Loyola)

• Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, flashbacks, and eating disorders
• Avoiding people or places that remind you of the assault or abuse
• Concerns or questions about sexual orientation
• Fear of the worst happening and having a sense of a shortened future
• Feeling "weak" or like "less of a man" or that you no longer have control over your own body
• Feeling on-edge, being unable to relax, and having difficulty sleeping
• Sense of blame or shame over not being able to stop the assault or abuse, especially if you experienced an erection or ejaculation
• Withdrawal from relationships or friendships and an increased sense of isolation
• Worrying about disclosing for fear of judgment or disbelief
• Shock and disbelief
• Mistrust, sense of betrayal
• Memory loss
• Irritability, edginess
• Heightened sensitivity to touch
• Nightmares, flashbacks
• Change in eating and sleeping habits
• Shame, humiliation, embarrassment
• Guilt
• Anger, thoughts of revenge
• Disorientation, confusion
• Overwhelmed, fear of “going crazy”
• Intense fear of injury or death
• Fear responses to reminders of the assault
• Feeling like you are losing control of your life or your mind
• Re-experiencing assault over and over again through flashbacks
• Problems concentrating and staying focused on the task at hand
• Developing a negative self-image
• Feeling “dirty” inside or out
• Depression
• Disruptions in close relationships
• Loss of interest in sex
• Fear and anxiety cause physical, mental, and behavioral reactions, all of which may lead you to feel as though you have no control over their life