An opinion column for The Daily Caller blamed gay and bisexual men for much of the military's sexual assault problem, arguing that the 2010 repeal of the armed forces' Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) policy had worsened the problem of rape in the military.

In an August 27 column, writer Dave Benkof asserted that the repeal of the military's ban on openly gay service members was responsible for an “uptick in same-sex rape.” According to Benkof, "[o]nly a fierce ideologue" would deny that allowing LGBT soldiers to serve openly would lead to an increase in sexual assault:

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is on the rise for both men and women, according to a Pentagon report earlier this year that was widely covered in news outlets such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Associated Press, Reuters, and CNN.

But virtually none of that coverage addressed an obvious aspect of the problem: the 2011 introduction of open service by gays and bisexuals undoubtedly has increased the incidence of sexual assault against men in uniform. Despite repeated LGBT assurances that integrating gays into the military would not affect morale, an uptick in same-sex rape - especially involving straight victims - most assuredly affects morale. In fact, just the fear of increased sexual violence could affect morale.

Only a fierce ideologue would suggest that introducing many thousands of same-sex-attracted men into a mostly male service would decrease or maintain the previous extent of male-male MST. 

[...]

The LGBT community, which regarding marriage has shown a willingness to use deception to achieve its policy goals, must be held to a high standard of proof. Media, legislators, and voters should do their own research before trusting gay community slogans that often turn out to be misleading, incomplete, or downright false, including:

“Studies prove that gay parenting is as good as straight parenting”;

“Gays are born that way”;

“Gay marriage won't harm anyone”; and

“Gay marriage is inevitable.”

The next time gay activists assure you their agenda has no downside, don't trust them. Investigate it for yourself. [emphasis added]

Benkof's claim that DADT repeal is responsible for a rise in military rapes is patently false. A study by Palm Center, a research institute focused on sexuality and the military, has found no evidence that open service has led to increased sexual assault. Nor, the center reported, did repeal lead to a decline in military cohesion or morale, as Benkof asserts.

Increased reporting of incidents may well reflect Defense Department efforts to encourage servicemembers to speak up if they've been assaulted. Emphasizing that sexual assault remains a “heinous” problem, Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-MA), co-chair of the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus, told CNN that the rise in reports may well reflect “legislative and military changes” encouraging people to come forward.

As The New York Times reported in June 2013, the military's DADT policy discouraged victims of male-on-male sexual assault from reporting incidents, for fear that admitting to even non-consensual same-sex relations could lead to discharge.

Benkof omitted such inconvenient facts from his screed. That's far from surprising, given his history of anti-LGBT activism. Benkof (formerly known as David Bianco) once identified as a gay man, but in 2003, he announced that he was actually bisexual and would abstain from sex with men for religious reasons. Since then, Benkof has been a vocal opponent of marriage equality.  He has urged the LGBT community to "let go of their obsessive insistence on being treated equally at all costs," and opposed even basic non-discrimination protections as "a threat to marriage."

That track record might not make Benkof a credible commentator on LGBT issues, but it places him in good company at The Daily Caller.