U.S. Rep. McCollum on Report on Sexual Assaults in the Military: 'Epidemic'

U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum this week said there is "an epidemic of sexual assaults" in the nation's military.

The congresswoman's office issued a statement in response to the release of the Pentagon's annual report on sexual assaults in the Armed Forces.

Among the findings:

• Sexual assault reports by members of the military rose from 3,192 in 2011 to 3,374 in 2012, according to FOX News.
• Based on a biannual survey, 6.1 percent of active duty women and 1.2 percent of active duty men were victimized, according to according to US News and World Report.
• The number of military members who made an anonymous report that they were sexually assaulted but never relayed the attack to superiors jumped from 19,000 in 2011 to 26,000 in 2012, according to NBC News.
• The number of sexual assaults in the military increased more than 30 percent since 2010, according to McCollum's office.

Meanwhile, report was released less than a day after the Air Force's head of sexual assault prevention, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, 41, was arrested for allegedly groping a woman, according to Military Times.

Below is McCollum's statement in full:

“This report should leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that there is an epidemic of sexual assaults in our Armed Forces that must be addressed at the Pentagon’s highest levels. Clearly, there needs to be a culture change in the military making the rape or assault of a female comrade a betrayal of one’s service and country. This is going to require more than training videos and posters; it demands an absolute commitment from the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff down to every platoon leader and recruiter. Secretary Hagel and Chairman Dempsey have personally assured me this issue is a top priority for them. I intend to hold them accountable.”