Biden changes how military crimes are prosecuted

The executive order amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice regarding how reports of sexual assault, domestic violence, and murder are handled. The victim’s military commanders were previously the key decision-makers for legal action in cases of sexual assault. Independent military prosecutors will now be the primary decision-maker. The Biden administration says the changes will help to better protect victims of sexual assault. The executive order will implement reforms passed by Congress in 2022. The White House calls the order the most significant change to the Code since its establishment in 1950.

How prevalent is sexual assault within the military? The military received almost 9,000 reports of sexual assault in 2022, an increase of one percent since last year, according to a report released by the Pentagon. Based on a survey conducted in 2021, only about twenty percent of sexual assaults in the military are thought to have been reported.

Dig deeper: Read Mary Jackson’s report in WORLD Magazine about how the Southern Baptist Convention handled sexual abuse investigations.