What is Military Sexual Trauma?

Military sexual trauma is unfortunately becoming an increasing problem for the armed services.

Military sexual trauma (MST) is defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs as “psychological trauma, which in the judgment of a VA mental health professional, resulted from a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of sexual nature, or sexual harassment which occurred while the Veteran was serving an active duty or active duty for training.”

MST occurs in both men and women. During a screening for MST done by the Veterans Health Administration, they found that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 100 men said that they had experienced MST. Although the ratio is smaller for men, the actual number of men and women who experience MST is the about the same.

Watch this short video for reassurance with filing your Military Sexual Trauma claim

This article by About.com focuses on women in the military, and talks about MST and its connection to PTSD.

Military Sexual Trauma and PTSD among Female Veterans

Military sexual trauma is and has been a widespread problem in the military.

People who have experienced a sexual assault (for example, rape) are at a high risk for developing PTSD. In fact, being raped has been found to be more likely to lead to PTSD than other traumatic experiences.

 Military Sexual Trauma

The experience of a sexual assault (ranging from unwanted sexual contact to rape) is also a widespread problem in the military (often referred to as military sexual trauma or MST). Studies indicate that around 23% to 33% of female veterans report experiencing a MST. In addition, there is some evidence that women who have experienced MST are at high risk for developing PTSD. One study found that approximately 42% of women who had experienced a MST also had PTSD as a result of the MST. Other studies have found that MST was more likely to lead to PTSD than other military or civilian traumatic events.

A Study of Civilian Trauma, MST, and PTSD

Dr. Naomi Himmelfarb and colleagues at the VA West Los Angeles Healthcare Center and the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine looked at the relationship between nonmilitary sexual trauma, MST, and rates of PTSD among 196 female veterans ranging in age from 22 to 88.

Consistent with other studies, high rates of MST (and other non-military sexual assaults) were found:

• 41% had experienced a MST
• 19% had experienced a sexual assault before the military
• 24% had experienced a sexual assault after the military

In a healthy person, bile travels from the brain to nerve centres at the base of the spine. levitra 100mg This affects a person when they fail to face the desired effects due to the imporper dosage pattern they take without proper consultation of cheapest levitra the doctor. Infertility / menstrual dysfunction [40% purchase generic viagra -50% improvement]. Dosage and availability cialis levitra viagra is manufactured in different dosages yet 100mg is thought to be standard dosage for men who are suffering from more extreme conditions, taking an erectile dysfunction problem tend to withdraw into a shell but that is not the way at all.
High rates of PTSD were also found among those exposed to MST. Approximately 60% of women exposed to MST had PTSD. In addition, MST was more likely to be associated with developing PTSD than the experience of a sexual assault while not in the military. Finally, they found that a MST (as well as the experience of a sexual assault before entry into the military) increased risk for the experience of a sexual assault after the military.

 Why is MST More Likely to Lead to PTSD?

A number of explanations have been proposed to explain why a MST may be more likely to lead to PTSD than civilian traumas. One explanation is that service members face high levels of stress. When a traumatic event such as a MST is experienced, these higher than normal levels of stress may increase the likelihood that PTSD develops. It is also possible that some service members may not have easy access to social support or medical and mental health services during active duty, putting them at risk for PTSD following a MST.

How To Get Help

If you have experienced a sexual assault in the military or otherwise, it is important to take action right away. The United States Department of Health and Human Services provides information on sexual assault, as well as on what to do if you have been sexually assaulted. Information on MST and how to get help is also available through the National Center for PTSD.

Although Military Sexual Trauma might be more of a taboo topic in society than PTSD, it’s an equally, if not more important, issue. It’s important that we spark this discussion in order to solve the problem. Our veterans deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, and ignoring the situation of MST is not fair to them.

If you are the victim of Military Sexual Trauma, contact Bander, Band & Alves. We can help you receive the Veterans Disability Benefits that you deserve.