Reported Sexual Assaults in Military Are Up

The Pentagon says the number of sexual assaults reported in the U.S. military last year rose by 1 percent over 2010.

In its annual report to Congress on sexual assaults, the Pentagon also said a growing proportion of military members who are disciplined for committing sexual offenses now face court- martial.

Relatively fewer are given administrative punishment. There were 3,192 reports of sexual assault involving service members as either victims or perpetrators in the 12-month budget period ended Sept. 30. That compares with 3,158 a year earlier and 3,230 the year before that.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, are scheduled to meet behind closed doors with members of Congress on Monday to discuss the issue.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)