Washington. US President Joe Biden signed an order Friday changing the way the US military investigates sexual assault cases by shifting power from unit commanders to independent prosecutors.
The executive order, released by the White House, ended years of pressure from victim advocates to ensure better accountability within the ranks, despite resistance to change from top military commanders.
Congress passed a law requiring the change in 2021.
With his signature, Biden transferred key powers from military commanders to independent military prosecutors in cases of sexual assault, domestic violence and murder.
Among the powers now exclusively vested in these prosecutors will be deciding whether or not to file felony charges.
According to the most recent Pentagon data, there were 8,942 reports of sexual assaults involving military personnel in 2022, up slightly from the previous year.
Of the total number reported, commanders had sufficient authority to consider legal action in only 3,188 cases, according to official figures.
