HALIFAX — The Canadian Forces needs to step up its supervision of training facilities and family centres on bases across the country, according to a military police investigation that found a disproportionate number of sexual assault cases involved young people at the hands of older personnel.

In a draft report obtained by The Canadian Press, officials with the criminal intelligence section said sexual assaults against youth made up about half of the reported sex offences.

"The number of reported sexual offence complaints involving cadets and young persons is a cause for concern as young persons and cadets combined account for almost half of the victims of reported sex offences," states the 15-page report, done through the Military Police Criminal Intelligence Program and obtained under the Access to Information Act.

"This reinforced that rigorous policing of sex offence cases involving children must continue."

It went on to say that "improved adult supervision of cadet and Military Family Resource Centre children's events may be worthwhile."

The report highlights the issue of older military personnel sexually abusing younger civilians and cadets. It states the average age of military and civilian offenders was between 27 and 31 years old, while victims were as young as 12.

The bulk of the incidents from 2004 to June 2008 took place on land bases, with men making up 98 per cent of the offenders and most of those being members of the military. Cadets and civilians both made up 14 per cent of those charged with sex offences.

People outside the military made up the majority of victims at 34 per cent, while Canadian Forces members accounted for 19 per cent, cadets 17 per cent and young persons 30 per cent.

The offences included everything from sexual interference, luring a child, sexual assault with a weapon and aggravated sexual assault to invitation to sexual touching and procuring prostitution.

The majority of the offences involved sexual assault, with 156 charges laid. But there were 38 charges involving the possession of child pornography, which made up the highest number of cases linked to the exploitation of children.

"This higher number may be the result of an increased national effort by government and police agencies to actively police the Internet with specialized units," the report states.

The Defence Department did not make anyone available to comment.

In total, there were 219 incidents reported to military police, but officials said the numbers are likely higher because not all cases are reported and some may have been handled by civilian police.

With 25 reported cases, Canadian Forces Base Borden in Ontario had the highest number of reported sex offences, while bases in Halifax and Petawawa followed with 21 and 20 incidents respectively.

The document, completed last November, recommended that an education program be developed for members of the military, especially new recruits, that would outline what constitutes a sexual offence.

It should also tell alleged victims that they can report any assault to their superiors in the chain of command, or directly to the military police.

Dawn Black, the NDP's defence critic, said she was disturbed by the findings and said the military should inform all cadets and young people in the forces about the nature of sexual assault, and that they will be supported if they file a complaint.

"Educating young people on ways to protect themselves would also be a very valuable recommendation because in the cadet program you have young people who are under the chain of command of the older people that this report talks about," she said from Ottawa.

"You're working under a command structure where people are even more vulnerable to people who have authority over them."

Of the 25 incidents in Borden, Ont., 10 involved cadets with eight of those charged being privates who were members of the Post Recruitment Education and Training Centre.

"Clearly if there has been an increase in the percentage of older CF personnel being investigated for abuse of younger people, there needs to be a better screening process for the people who are working with children," Black said.

The report also says the forces should review its policies on the supervision and employment of untrained CF personnel. And it should provide awareness training to cadet camp staff members.