Sexual assaults rise at US military academies: report

The number of sexual assaults at America's military academies rose by almost 50 per cent over the past two years, despite extensive efforts to combat the problem, a Pentagon report said Thursday.

About 12,900 cadets attend the Army, Navy and Air Force academies that train future officers to lead America's vast military.

Every other year, they are given the chance to fill in an anonymous survey about unwanted sexual contact or sexual assaults.

According to the figures from 2018, 747 people reported some sort of sexual assault -- up from 507 in 2016, an increase of more than 47 per cent.

"We find these results to be frustrating, disheartening and unacceptable," said Elise Van Winkle, who heads a Pentagon personnel and readiness department.

The biggest increase was noted at the Army's West Point Academy in New York, where 16.5 per cent of women reported some sort of sexual assault, up from 10.2 per cent previously.

In a statement, the Army's senior leaders said the report was "troubling and disappointing."