A TikToker known as Jon, or stupidgrunt, recently shared a deeply personal, emotional account of being sexually assaulted while serving in the military back in 2020. The TikTok post has already racked up over 4.1 million views in just a few days, proving this topic resonates with far too many people. In his video, Jon explains, “I was on a detail to White Sands in New Mexico. I was supporting 10th Special Forces Group. I was essentially acting like a foreign army, and they were just training us. We had just gotten back from a mission late at night, and I was exhausted.” He noted that he went to the bathroom while wearing his full gear, including a battle belt. In there, he claimed a civilian contractor brushed up against him. He stated that “at the time I didn’t really think of it. Like, I mean, I had gear on. Like, it was probably easy to brush up against.” Things took a dark turn when he removed the gear. Jon alleged, “I was drinking out of the water fountain, bent over. And as I was drinking, this man came behind me, and put his hand between my legs, and as he was grabbing me, he asked if I was a gay army boy.” Everyone’s initial reaction threw him off “I didn’t know how to process what had just happened. So, I went outside to tell everyone about it.” He then claimed that “their initial response was to laugh and make fun of the situation. So I just laughed with them because I didn’t really know what else to do.” in his caption he mentioned that, “I was an E5 at the time and didn’t want the lower enlisted to think I was weak so I laughed about it then and years after when it was randomly brought up.” According to Jon’s post, the contractor came back out looking for him and allegedly offered him a beer. Jon noted that he said no because he was scared. That led him to report the situation to the squad leader. Jon stated that his commanding officer immediately confronted the man. The next day, the 10th Special Forces Group Sergeant Major asked for his story, and within an hour, the contractor was packing his bags and leaving the bay. @stupidgrunt (2020*) Very vulnerable post, i haven’t talked about this with anyone other a few people i worked with in the army. I was an E5 at the time and didn’t want the lower enlisted to think I was weak so I laughed about it then and years after when it was randomly brought up. It’s not common for men to speak about this but I felt like finally talking about might make me feel better. During the time I really didn’t think it was deal until little things started to bring me back to that moment. ♬ original sound – Jon Jon’s story isn’t verified, and it is his statement. However, it is an important topic, and the support in the comments section has been overwhelming. One user wrote, “As a male, I’m here for you (because I only see females, and it sucks not to not see any men support men) and I’m proud for you speaking out, and I’m sorry this happened to you, whether a male or female it’s never ok.” Another commenter added, “R4pe and SA don’t just happen, it starts with jokes, crossing boundaries, etc. People may try to minimize what happened to you but what you did STOPPED this person from escalating his abhorrent behavior with you and everyone else.” Male survivors of sexual assault are often silenced by the fear of being perceived as weak. As another user pointed out, “As a male survivor of sexual abuse myself, I’m so sorry man! You’re not less of a man. It took me years to talk about it and deal with it in therapy, because other sick twisted men laugh about it. This is how it starts!” This year also saw a high-profile case where a male victim accused a JP Morgan executive of sexual assault. This story highlights a broader, systemic issue within the military. At the end of 2025, PBS reported that while reported sexual assaults in the military dipped by nearly 4% in 2024, the numbers remain alarmingly high. There were 8,195 reported sexual assaults in 2024. While the Army saw a 13% drop, other branches actually saw increases in reported incidents. @stupidgrunt Thank you to those who reached out, you mean the world to me! In 2023, 6,398 veterans committed suicide. The VA reported there is an elevated suicide risk to those who experience Military Sexual Trauma (MST). From my experience and other experiences shared with me “going to the police” doesn’t do anything. Military police can take the report but they can’t really do much, it is up the military Criminal Investigation Division to determine if it’s worth prosecuting and it usually ends there. The offender will be moved and they’ll have same, rank, same pay, and same job, just working somewhere else. In 2021 55% of women didn’t think anything would be done if they reported their incident, 49% were worried about retaliation or negative consequences and 45% thought it wasn’t serious enough to report. 42% of Men didn’t report it because they thought nothing would happen, 44% thought it wasn’t enough to report and 36% thought there would retaliation or negative consequences. There is also quarterly training in Sexual Harassment and Abuse Response Program (SHARP). I didn’t think anything of it, but now I see why it’s so often. Thank you again to those who reached out, it means the world! ♬ original sound – Jon The Pentagon has been working to implement new programs and hire a “prevention workforce,” but these efforts have faced hurdles, including budget and personnel cuts. Furthermore, the military is transitioning to a system where independent lawyers, rather than commanders, make prosecution decisions. Despite these changes, the underreporting of these crimes remains a massive barrier to true accountability. However, in a win, US Marshals recently captured a fugitive soldier, convicted of assault, after 30 years on the run. Jon’s decision to speak out is a powerful step toward breaking that cycle of silence. In a later update video that he made to thank his supporters, Jon stated, “I’m not sure what happened to him. I don’t really care what happened to him. I just wanted to get my story out there and get comfortable talking. And it also made me feel better about letting it out.”