The report finds DoD has made progress in improving the response to victims' needs, but calls for DoD to do more to fully address the spectrum of sexual assault prevention and response. The task force made a number of recommendations involving DoD's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, including: temporarily elevating oversight of this office to the jurisdiction of the deputy secretary of defense until the program meets established institutional goals; changing the budgeting process to overcome inconsistent funding among the military services; strengthening the policy and oversight functions of the office; calling for collaboration with the military services and national experts in sexual assault prevention to develop a comprehensive prevention strategy and a plan to routinely evaluate it; and more rigorous oversight of military service training programs. The task force found DoD has made demonstrable progress in providing assistance to victims of sexual assault by offering restricted reporting, which permits a victim to obtain immediate care and counseling without engaging law enforcement and command authority. The task force did recommend, however, that Congress should, as a permanent measure, enact a comprehensive military justice privilege for communications between a victim advocate and a victim of sexual assault.

Report of the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services: hearing before the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, second session, hearing held February 3, 2010.

Report of the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services : hearing before the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, second session, hearing held February 3, 2010.

Not later than 12 months after the date on which all members of the task force have been appointed, the task force shall submit to the Secretary of Defense a report recommending ways by which the Department of Defense and the Department of the Army and the Department of the Navy may more effectively address matters relating to sexual harassment and violence at the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy, respectively. The report shall include an assessment of, and recommendations (including any recommended changes in law) for measures to improve, with respect to sexual harassment and violence at those academies, the following: (1) Victims' safety programs. (2) Offender accountability. (3) Effective prevention of sexual harassment and violence. (4) Collaboration among military organizations with responsibility or jurisdiction with respect to sexual harassment and violence. (5) Coordination between military and civilian communities, including local support organizations, with respect to sexual harassment and violence. (6) Coordination between military and civilian communities, including civilian law enforcement relating to acts of sexual harassment and violence. (7) Data collection and case management and tracking. (8) Curricula and training, including standard training programs for cadets at the United States Military Academy and midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy and for permanent personnel assigned to those academies. (9) Responses to sexual harassment and violence at those academies, including standard guidelines. (10) Other issues identified by the task force relating to sexual harassment and violence at those academies.