CAT/C/USA/CO/3-5 obligations to provide full redress and the means for full rehabilitation to victims of torture. Sexual violence and rape in the United States military 30. While welcoming the recently increased efforts by the Department of Defense to prevent sexual assault in the military, the Committee remains concerned about the high prevalence of sexual violence, including rape, and the alleged failure of the Defense Department to adequately prevent and address military sexual assaults of both men and women serving in the armed forces (arts. 2, 12, 13 and 16). The State party should increase its efforts to prevent and eradicate sexual violence in the military by taking effective measures to: (a) Ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigations of all allegations of sexual violence; (b) Ensure that, in practice, complainants and witnesses are protected from any acts of retaliation or reprisals, including intimidation, related to their complain or testimony; (c) Ensure equal access to disability compensation to veterans who are survivors of military sexual assault. Other issues 31. The Committee reiterates its previous recommendation (CAT/C/USA/CO/2, para. 41) that the State party ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention and make the declaration provided for in article 22 of the Convention, recognizing the competence of the Committee to receive and consider individual communications. 32. The State party is requested to disseminate widely the report submitted to the Committee and the present concluding observations, in all appropriate languages, through official websites, the media and non-governmental organizations. 33. The Committee requests the State party to provide, by 28 November 2015, followup information in response to the Committee’s recommendations relating to ensuring or strengthening legal safeguards for persons detained; conducting, prompt, impartial and effective investigations; and prosecuting suspects and sanctioning perpetrators of torture or ill-treatment, as contained in paragraphs 12 (a), 14 (c) and 17, respectively, of the present concluding observations. In addition, the Committee requests information on follow-up to the recommendations concerning remedies and redress to victims, as contained in paragraph 26 (c) and (d) of the present concluding observations. 34. The State party is invited to submit its next report, which will be the sixth periodic report, by 28 November 2018. To that end, the Committee will, in due course, submit to the State party a list of issues prior to reporting, in view of the fact that the State party has accepted to report to the Committee under the optional reporting procedure. 16