Final answer:
The retention period for the DD Form 2910 in DSAID is 10 years, which is crucial for documenting and understanding the patterns of IPV, where many cases go unreported for years before coming to light.
Step-by-step explanation:
The retention period for the Victim Reporting Preference Statement (DD Form 2910) in the Defense Sexual Assault Incident Database (DSAID) is option C) 10 years. This timeframe ensures that there is an adequate period for the preservation of records that are critical in addressing and understanding the patterns of abuse in cases of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). It is important to have such measures in place as accurate statistics on IPV are challenging to determine, largely because more than half of nonfatal IPV is not reported, with patterns of abuse often going unrecognized for extended periods. For instance, most victims studied reported that abuse had been ongoing for at least two years before they made their first report, highlighting the significance of maintaining records for lengthier durations to aid in legal, research, and support efforts.