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Sexual Trauma Among Female Veterans

Roughly 15 percent of America’s armed forces are women. Women join the military to defend their country, continue a family legacy, fulfill childhood dreams, and for all kinds of honorable reasons. But the treatment some receive is anything but honorable.

After 10 years of war, we are continually learning about the atrocities facing military personnel, both from the forces we are fighting abroad and the forces fighting right alongside our troops. Each year, thousands of women report being sexually harassed and assaulted by their fellow servicemen. A male-dominated culture of secrecy prevents the majority from speaking out.

Military Sexual Trauma: A Silent Epidemic

The military has assigned a specific name to the anger, depression and anxiety that many women experience even years after being attacked: military sexual trauma. Military sexual trauma includes any unwanted sexual activity, such as:

Military sexual trauma is so prevalent that women report going to the bathroom armed and in pairs, or skipping a late-night walk to the latrine by keeping bedpans in their rooms. Some victims stop eating at the dining hall or exercising at the gym to avoid ongoing sexual harassment.

One woman described her experience this way: “I felt really powerless and really helpless. You know, I was in this foreign country on a U.S. military base, an institution that wasn’t really backing me up but that was in complete control of my life. … It’s just really exhausting, you know? To be such a small powerless individual against the huge institution that is the U.S. military.”

Consequences of Military Sexual Trauma

Women who serve in the military are typically strong and believe passionately in their work. Many have given up a great deal to defend our country, leaving their children behind and working in a field that is still in many ways an “old boys club.” As soldiers, women don’t want to see themselves as victims who complain or need support. Yet the treatment some receive has taken a heavy toll.

Although each individual responds differently to a traumatic event, often depending on the severity of the trauma, how long it lasts and the support offered, the consequences of military sexual trauma may include:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among women who have survived military sexual trauma. In fact, studies suggest that PTSD is more likely to develop after sexual trauma than any other traumatic event, including combat.

In addition to feelings of betrayal and low self-worth, women face an impossible decision: accept being harassed and attacked to maintain their livelihood or speak out and deal with the consequences. Once they leave the service, many struggle to hold a job.

With no money and little support, many victims of military sexual trauma end up in homeless shelters. Returning servicewomen are nearly four times more likely than men to become homeless, and roughly 40 percent of those who experience homelessness reported sexual assault while in the military.

The trauma servicewomen are experiencing is pervasive on many levels. For one, women are being assaulted and harassed by the people who are supposedly willing to die for them and whom they have vowed to protect. These servicemen often work and live within close proximity and have some degree of control over the female’s career and well-being.

Shame, fear and a sense of loyalty to their unit prevent most victims (an estimated 80 percent) from speaking out, and many are told they have no proof, their word means nothing, get over it – that’s the military, and that they had better keep quiet or else. If a brave soul dares to report the violation, they may be demoted, ostracized or targeted for even more brutal attacks. Forced to give up their military careers or go AWOL, many experience ongoing humiliation and suffering back at home.

Although fellow servicemen may not have their female counterparts’ backs, they certainly have each other’s, victims report. Many assailants are “punished” with a few days of being confined to base; others face no charges at all and are still in uniform, likely harassing and assaulting others. One married woman was told she didn’t “act like a rape victim,” and rather than bringing charges, her commanders put a letter of interest in her file for committing adultery.

The trauma continues when women seek treatment at VA hospitals, which are run by the same institution that allowed the violation to occur. Because they don’t feel safe – and, some say, face long waiting lists and receive inadequate care – they give up on getting well.

A System in Need of Change

Some women say the treatment they receive in the military stems from a male-dominated culture that devalues and objectifies women. Military sexual trauma victims may be the only females in an all-male unit. Rather than being admired for their skills and tenacity, they are treated like second-class citizens.

Increasingly, veterans and support groups are calling for broad change in a system that is quick to recognize physical harm but painfully slow – and even looks the other way – when addressing emotional wrongs.

The current laws do not offer military sexual trauma survivors a great deal of support. Previous legislation has eased the burden of proof for veterans exposed to enemy threats such as roadside bombs or mortar attacks. These individuals do not need to have reported the incident when it happened, and do not need to have proof that it occurred. But a harsh double standard still requires sexual trauma survivors to submit corroborating evidence of their assault.

An official policy of limited recordkeeping compounds the difficulty of proving sexual assault and harassment. The Department of Defense keeps rape kits for just one year and sexual harassment investigations for two years. By that time, many women are just leaving the service and returning home, where they can finally process the experience and file a claim with the VA. With the evidence destroyed, getting treatment is an uphill battle.

“We have to face the fact that the system of military justice has failed over and over again to protect the victims of rape and sexual assault and failed to punish the perpetrators,” said Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, who introduced legislation to help victims of military sexual assault. “It’s a system that needs to be fixed, but in the meantime we need to change the rules so veterans who have been victims can get the care and benefits they deserve.”

Efforts to Protect Military Personnel from Sexual Trauma

Efforts are underway to give survivors of military sexual trauma the treatment and resources they need to heal. In April, representatives introduced the Defense STRONG Act, a piece of bipartisan legislation that would ensure victims’ right to legal counsel, confidentiality when speaking with victim advocates, and a speedy transfer to another unit or base. It would also standardize training in sexual assault prevention and response across all branches of the military.

Recently, a group of 16 men and women who were assaulted during active service filed a class-action lawsuit against Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his predecessor, Donald Rumsfeld. They are accusing the military of allowing a culture that fails to prosecute sexual assailants and instead punishes victims who report the violation.

To change the broader military culture, many experts are asking for military training that calls upon authority figures and servicemen to hold others accountable for appropriate behavior. They say the military needs to teach its members that it is their responsibility to intervene and look out for one another, and create an action plan so that they know how to do so.

Help for Military Sexual Trauma

Social networking sites, crisis centers, and treatment programs for trauma and related issues are all playing an important role in helping survivors of military sexual trauma. While many trauma programs for women mirror men’s programs, a number of trauma recovery centers provide specialized treatment that is tailored to the unique needs of women. Because women who suffer from sexual trauma are at greater risk for eating disorders, substance abuse and relationship problems, including sex and love addiction, treatment should address all of these concerns.

As the population of military sexual trauma survivors continues to grow through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, experts are working to ensure that these individuals are greeted by a just system that gives dedicated service people the assistance they deserve. While the legal process unfolds, we can offer support, healing and hope to those who have endured acts of sexual assault and harassment while proudly serving their country.