Can trust be restored?

The Department of Defense Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military: Fiscal Year 2012 reveals that there was a 1.7 percent increase in unwanted sexual contact reported by women in our armed forces compared to the 2010 report. Each case of unwanted sexual contact results in a loss of trust by the American people -- not only in the individual service members and leaders of the armed forces but in the armed forces as a whole. Making matters worse, in some instances those entrusted to guard against sexual harassment and assault have become the alleged abusers themselves. It is not an easy process for any institution or organization such as the military to restore a level of trust once it has been lost. However, a good place to start is by assuring Americans that their military is receiving the training and education necessary to prevent such actions.