The military can now hide the names of people who report sexual assault

The Department of Defense wants to keep some records secret for its "Catch a Serial Offender" program. This means the military will not have to share information about investigations or the identities of confidential sources in adult sexual assault cases.

The military has a long history of failing to address sexual assault effectively. This change means that victims who report assault, or witnesses who provide information, will have their identities protected from public disclosure. It also means the military can conduct investigations without public scrutiny of how it handles specific cases.