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Research

DoD SAPRO conducts and reviews both independent and collaborative research to:

  • Understand the problem of sexual assault
  • Identify groups that are disproportionately affected
  • Monitor trends over time
  • Develop and evaluate effective prevention and response strategies
  • Improve capacity and inform wide dissemination of effective strategies
  • Identify appropriate audiences and messaging
  • Clearly communicate findings for action
  • Monitor implementation of comprehensive approaches in order to optimize prevention and response systems across the Department of Defense

Research Agenda

The FY21–25 DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Research Agenda defines key research priorities to synchronize and focus the Department’s research on topics and methods that have the potential to result in short-term and sustained improvements in sexual assault prevention and response in the Armed Forces. The DoD Research Agenda working group identified 10 research priorities after synthesizing multiple gap analyses and subject matter expert insights. The research agenda is available here.

DoD Research

  • 2022 Service Academy Gender Relations Survey – Released on March 1, 2023

    The 2022 Service Academy Gender Relations Survey (SAGR) is part of an assessment cycle at the Military Service Academies to provide official prevalence estimates for unwanted sexual contact and military equal opportunity. The 2022 SAGR also assessed sexual assault and sexual harassment reporting and complaint processes and cadet/midshipmen attitudes toward SAPR programs and policies.

  • 2021 Workplace and Gender Relations Survey of Military Members – Released on September 1, 2022

    The 2021 Workplace and Gender Relations Survey of Military Members (WGR) informs the DoD’s prevention and response efforts by providing a robust system of surveillance for monitoring the estimated prevalence of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. The DoD did not conduct the planned survey of the Active component in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 WGR survey was administered to both the Active and Reserve components simultaneously.

  • 2021 QuickCompass of Sexual Assault Response Personnel​/

    The 2021 QuickCompass of Sexual Assault Response Personnel (QSAR) provides information to the DoD on sexual assault responders’ training, their access to and relationships with command and other professionals, their perceptions of resources provided to victims, the support they receive in their profession, and their personal wellbeing.

  • OPA 2019 Service Academy Gender Relations Focus Groups – Overview Report – Released in February 2020

    The 2019 Service Academy Gender Relations Focus Groups Overview Report is part of an assessment cycle at the Military Service Academies (MSAs), and was included in the APY18-19 Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies.