WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of suicides among soldiers has been leveling off but there’s been a dramatic jump in domestic violence, sex crimes and other destructive behavior in a force that has been stressed by a decade of war, a new Army report said Thursday.

Suicides among soldiers in the active duty, Guard and Reserve totaled 278 last year, down 9 percent from 2010.

“I think we’ve at least arrested this problem and hopefully will start to push it down,” Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli said.

But violent sex crimes and domestic violence have increased more than 30 percent since 2006 and child abuse by 43 percent.

“After 10 years of war with an all-volunteer force, you’re going to have problems that no one could have forecasted before this began,” he said.

Chiarelli said commanders are now getting more troops into substance abuse programs; are kicking more out of the service for misconduct, and are barring others with alcohol and drug convictions from joining in the first place.

Chiarelli said the military has taken “a huge step forward” with new screening procedures for troops who get concussions — a frequent injury in wars where makeshift bombs have been insurgents’ weapons of choice. Troops are now taken off the battlefield and held off for days or weeks until they recover, he said.