WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Department data show hundreds of incidents each year of the children of military service members being victims of sexual assault.
The abuse of military dependents is committed most often by male enlisted troops, according to the data provided exclusively to The Associated Press.
The figures offer greater insight into the sexual abuse of children committed by service members, a problem of uncertain scale due to a lack of transparency in the military's legal proceedings. With more than 1 million military dependents, the number of cases appears statistically small. But for a profession that prides itself on honor and discipline, any episodes of abuse cast a pall.
AP-WF-01-04-16 1116GMT
