False Allegations of Sexual Assault, the Myth Protecting Military Sexual Trauma Predators
How the military protects its image by making serbvice members believe the biggest threat is being falsely accused. The actual data shows they should worry about survivors suffering in silence.
Department of Defense data shows false allegations of sexual assault in the military are rare, while retaliation against survivors is widespread.Department of Defense data shows false allegations of sexual assault in the military are rare, while retaliation against survivors is widespread. A recent article from Military Trial Defenders claims that false allegations of sexual assault are a "huge problem" in the military, citing that over seventy percent of military academy attendees believe this to be true.
But how common are false allegations of sexual assault? Sexual assault statistics show the actual rate is between two and ten percent.
This statistics problem is a deliberate piece of disinformation that creates a perception that protects predators while destroying survivors.
I know because I lived through both the assault and the system that followed.
False Allegations Military Sexual Assault: Who Benefits From This Lie
When people believe false allegations of sexual assault are rampant instead of rare, predators win.
The perception builds on existing misogyny that women exaggerate for attention. So few sexual assault cases make it to trial because of this notion.
Predators understand the possibility for consequences is low. They commit crimes repeatedly and escalate severity because the system protects them.
Meanwhile, DoD data shows false complaints haven't exceeded three percent since 2014. In 2024, just one percent of reports were false.
Department of Defense data shows false allegations of sexual assault in the military are rare, while retaliation against victims is widespread.
UCMJ False Allegations: The Real Fear Survivors Face
The fear of reporting a sexual assault has more to do with only the assault itself.
Victims know their careers will likely be ruined for coming forward. They know they'll be retaliated against and called liars. Worst of all, they'll be completely ostracized by peers for not staying silent.
Survivors on my The Silenced Voices of MST describe experiencing compound trauma worse than the original assault.
When someone reports, they're ostracized while perpetrators are believed and comforted. Investigations focus on poking holes in victim statements. Living quarters get trashed, cars vandalized, work tools disappear.
The data confirms this reality: military personnel are twelve times more likely to experience retaliation than see their attacker convicted.
Burden of Proof in Sexual Assault Cases: The Conditioning Machine
Military academy attendees have been conditioned to see themselves as potential victims of false accusations rather than part of a system destroying real survivors.
The military protects its image by making service members believe the biggest threat is being falsely accused. The actual data shows they should worry about survivors suffering in silence.
This narrative serves institutional interests. It's easier to fear false allegations of sexual assault than confront sexual predators operating freely while survivors get psychologically tortured for speaking up. The burden of proof in sexual assault cases becomes weaponized against survivors rather than seeking truth.
Research shows 31 percent of men and 28 percent of women experienced retaliation after assault, whether they reported or not.
Evolutionary Accountability
Accountability ends military sexual violence.
We need to create an environment completely inhospitable to sexual violence and harassment. That means removing bystanders who witnessed harassment but did nothing. Removing supervisors, leaders, and commanders who allowed for an environment conducive to sexual violence.
When careers are destroyed and people realize they can't support their families because they protected predators, they won't tolerate it.
Accountability is a form of enforced adaptation. In basic training, when one person made a mistake, the whole unit paid the price through extra runs or pushups. That collective consequence changed behavior quickly because nobody wanted to carry the burden for someone else’s actions.
The same principle applies here. When offices are emptied and careers end for protecting predators, the perception shifts. People adapt their behavior when silence and complicity carry real consequences.
Department of Defense data shows false allegations of sexual assault in the military are rare, while retaliation against victims is widespread.
Many people never personally witness sexual violence, which makes it easy for myths to spread. But consistent, visible consequences create a new reality where protecting predators is no longer tolerated.
The Path Forward
After nine years of struggling with treatment-resistant depression from MST, I experienced a miracle. A civilian provider fought for me to get new medication that reduced every symptom in three days.
Coming back to life after nearly a decade made me realize I had to help other survivors reach that same place.
I started The Silenced Voices of MST podcast to let survivors know they're not alone and they are believed. Our voices lead to public recognition of Military Sexual Trauma's pervasiveness. We'll be returning with firsthand accounts of Military Sexual Trauma in just a few short weeks.
Public demand for accountability creates environmental change. Changed environments mean service members take those values home and create outward change.
The U.S. military has led American social change before. It integrated early. It paid women equally before most organizations.
Sexual violence can be the next thing we conquer together.
But only if we stop protecting the myth and start protecting survivors.
What will it take for your military community to prioritize survivor safety over institutional reputation? Share this article if you believe accountability saves lives.
