Military Sexual Trauma

Military sexual trauma (MST) is a technical term that refers to the psychological trauma experienced by military service members, as a result of sexual assault or sexual harassment, as classified by the Department of Veterans Affairs. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, MST includes “unwanted sexual touching or grabbing; threatening; offensive remarks about a person’s body or sexual activities; and/or threatening or unwelcome sexual advances.”ⁱ

While only the Department of Veterans Affairs uses the term MST, the symptoms can also apply to active duty personnel. The Department of Veterans Affairs reports that the mental health issues most often associated with MST are, “PTSD, other anxiety disorders, depression and other mood disorders, and substance use disorders (alcohol and drug problems).”ⁱⁱ

Symptoms associated with MST may include: ⁱⁱⁱ

• Sleep Disorders
• Substance Abuse
• Flashbacks
• Depression

As reported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, other symptoms of MST include the following:^iv

• Strong emotions
• Feeling depressed; having intense, sudden emotional responses to things; feeling angry or irritable all the time
• Feelings of numbness
• Feeling emotionally "flat"; trouble feeling love or happiness
• Trouble with reminders of the sexual trauma
• Feeling on edge or "jumpy" all the time; not feeling safe; going out of your way to avoid reminders of the trauma; trouble trusting others
• Problems in relationships
• Feeling alone or not connected to others; abusive relationships; trouble with employers or authority figures
• Physical health problems
• Sexual issues; chronic pain; weight or eating problems; stomach or bowel problems
• Trouble with attention, concentration, and memory
• Trouble staying focused; often finding your mind wandering; having a hard time remembering things

Treatment
There is help available to survivors of sexual violence from both civilian and military resources, for MTS as well as other effects of sexual assault:

DoD Commuity Resources:

• DoD Safe Helpline — click, call or text for confidential sexual assault support.
• Online: www.safehelpline.org
• Phone: 877-995-5247 (The phone number is the same inside the U.S. or via the DSN

Veterans Affairs Resources^v:

• Speak with your VA health care provider
• Contact the MST Coordinator or the Women Veterans Program Manager at your local VA Medical Center
• Contact your local Vet Center

Civilian Resources:

• Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE) or visit the Online Hotline.
• Contact your local rape crisis center

ⁱMilitary Sexual Trauma. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2010.
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/military-sexual-trauma-general.asp

ⁱⁱMilitary Sexual Trauma. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2010.
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/military-sexual-trauma-general.asp

ⁱⁱⁱMilitary Sexual Trauma. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2010.
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/military-sexual-trauma-general.asp

^ivMilitary Sexual Trauma. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2010.
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/military-sexual-trauma-general.asp

^vMilitary Sexual Trauma. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2010.
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/military-sexual-trauma-general.asp

This product was supported by grant number 2009-D1-BX-K023 awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this product are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice