Sexual assault reports doubled at West Point over past year

The number of sexual assaults reported at the U.S. Military Academy roughly doubled during the past school year, according to data reviewed by the Associated Press.

It’s the fourth year in a row that sexual assault reports increased at the school in West Point, N.Y.

There were 50 cases in the school year that ended last summer, compared with 26 in the 2015-16 school year.

Defense Department and West Point officials said the big jump resulted from an effort to encourage victims to come forward.