Story highlights The number of US service members who said they were victims of sexual assault reached a 10-year low, according to the report

Compared to previous years, more of the people who were assaulted said they reported the assault through official channels

(CNN) The number of US service members who were victims of sexual assault declined by over 5,000 in 2016, reaching a 10-year low, according to a new Pentagon report released Monday.

Approximately 4.3% of women and 0.6% of men surveyed in the Pentagon study said that they had been the victim of a sexual assault.

Compared to 2014, the military said that this represents an estimated decrease of about 1,000 sexual assaults of women and 4,300 assaults of men.

Officials did not provide a single reason for the decrease in assaults but noted enhanced efforts at communication, prevention and an institutionalization of policies aimed at countering assault.

Officials also noted a 1.5% increase in the number of victims of sexual assault who said they reported their assault through the appropriate channels.

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