Sexual assault complaints surged 46% last year in US military

Sexual assaults in the US military increased an unprecedented 46 percent last year, the Pentagon has said.

The agency added that there was urgency to a push by lawmakers to change how the armed services deal with the problem.

According to the New York Daily News, the revelation comes as the Senate isabout to vote probably next week on a proposal by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to change how the military justice system deals with sexual assaults.

She has proposed to remove commanders from the process of deciding whether sexual misconduct cases go to trial.

Instead, that authority would be handed over to seasoned trial lawyers who have prosecutorial experience and hold the rank of colonel or higher, the report said.

According to the report, Defense Department officials called the new spike in assault reports a sign that victims have more confidence in the way the military has been handling the problem.

But Gillibrand said that the increase in assaults meant that far-reaching change is needed.