Military Sexual Trauma

“I wish more info/counseling had been available and presented publicly about Military Sexual Trauma (MST)” (Anonymous, 2007).

“…It’s difficult to explain an experience that is so alien to a civilian, I think that they are mostly uncomfortable around me especially in a liberal town. That I am opposed to the war but wholeheartedly support our troops. I’m not an overtly aggressive girl who’ll kill them if they look at me wrong” (Anonymous, 2007).

A study done by the Veterans Affairs Long Beach Healthcare System found that female veterans “…with MST had significantly higher clinician symptom ratings and more difficulties with readjustment than those without.” They concluded that, “These preliminary data suggest that MST in OIF/OEF women seeking mental health services appears to be a significant factor for predicting symptoms and difficulty with readjustment to civilian life” (Women who served in Iraq, n.d.).

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is a very real part of military service affecting the careers and health of active duty and veteran women and men. There are resources about MST; but programs helping survivors are still growing and are sometimes hard to find. Civilian rape crisis centers are equipped to counsel and help with the sexual assault aspect but are often not prepared to fully understand and address the military component.

Entering a government facility after surviving rape, harassment, or physical abuse can be terrifying; yet VA hospitals are some of the only facilities I have found with people trained in or specializing in MST. I strongly advocate going to the VA’s women’s clinic and mental health clinic to seek counseling and groups specific to PTSD and MST. The fellow survivors that you meet can also aid you in the healing process.

Amy Street, Ph.D. and Jane Stafford, Ph.D. (NCPTSD, 2007) have written a very approachable article on MST (pdf link)

Based on their research, this section covers MST facts and talks about the ongoing struggle to stop sexual violence in the US military. The US military includes harassment and sexual assault in its definition of MST. Sexual harassment is defined by Drs. Street and Stafford as the following:

unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that occurs in the workplace or an academic or training setting. Sexual harassment includes gender harassment (e.g., put you down because of your gender), unwanted sexual attention (e.g., made offensive remarks about your sexual activities or your body) and sexual coercion (e.g., implied special treatment if you were sexually cooperative).(Street & Stafford,NCPTSD, 2007)

They go on to define sexual assault as the following:

any sort of sexual activity between at least two people in which one of the people is involved against his or her will. Physical force may or may not be used. The sexual activity involved can include many different experiences including unwanted touching, grabbing, oral sex, anal sex, sexual penetration with an object, and/or sexual intercourse.(Street & Stafford,NCPTSD, 2007)

MST is unique in that the victim often already lives and works with the perpetrator and oftentimes must continue to do so after the trauma occurs. The perpetrator may be the victim’s same rank, below, or a superior. Due to close quarters and focus on unit cohesion, coming forward with allegations can be really scary and laced with retribution. Consequently, many cases of sexual assault and harassment are not reported. Being blamed and ignored often has significant negative consequences to a survivor’s recovery and adds to the trauma.

The following are main points from the powerful testimony of Christine Hansen, Executive Directory of the Miles Foundation, Inc., which was presented at the Military Culture and Gender Conference 2005:

  • A survey conducted within the Veterans’ Administration system has assessed sexual assault at 30 percent of female veterans.
  • … the researchers found that 14 percent of the victims were gang raped and 20 percent of the victims were raped more than once (Sadler, et al, 2003).
  • Among women veterans seeking VA disability benefits, 69 percent of combat veterans and 86 percent of noncombatant veterans reported in-service or post-service assault.
  • Sixty-six percent of victims display symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) referred to as rape trauma.
  • Ninety percent of sexual assault victims experience the onset of PTSD within one month of the assault. (Hansen, 2005)

Hansen concludes with this message:

“Women who chose the profession of arms deserve respect. They also deserve institutional mechanisms to provide for their safety and, in the worst case scenario, their treatment for trauma as a result of sexual violence associated with the US Armed Forces.” (Hansen, 2005).