Male Service Members' Experiences of Sexual Assault Prevention Trainings in the U.S. Military

Sexual violence in the military remains a pervasive public health and organizational concern. Although the U.S. military has implemented prevention policies and trainings, few evaluations have examined their cultural relevance or effectiveness. This exploratory study used a theory-informed qualitative design, guided by the Kirkpatrick model, to explore how military culture shapes the design, reception, and impact of sexual assault prevention trainings. Seventeen male current and former service members from four military branches participated in semi-structured interviews analyzing their perceptions and experiences with these trainings. Codebook thematic analysis revealed multiple factors influencing effectiveness across the model's four levels -reaction, learning, behavior, and results- with leadership emerging as the most influential. Participants emphasized that when leaders modeled engagement and accountability, trainings were perceived as more meaningful, whereas inaction or apathy reinforced skepticism and fear of retaliation. Findings illustrate how cultural elements such as hierarchy, masculinity norms, and heteronormativity affect training outcomes and reporting behaviors. Drawing on Connell's concept of hegemonic masculinity, the study underscores that prevention efforts must move beyond content delivery to address the cultural systems that sustain sexual violence. Results highlight the need for culturally responsive, leadership-driven approaches to effectively reduce sexual violence within military settings.