Overview

Military sexual trauma (MST) is the term that the Department of Veterans Affairs uses to refer to sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that occurred while the Veteran was in the military. It includes any sexual activity where someone is involved against his or her will – he or she may have been pressured into sexual activities (for example, with threats of negative consequences for refusing to be sexually cooperative or with implied faster promotions or better treatment in exchange for sex), may have been unable to consent to sexual activities (for example, when intoxicated), or may have been physically forced into sexual activities.  Other experiences that fall into the category of MST include unwanted sexual touching or grabbing; threatening, offensive remarks about a person’s body or sexual activities; and/or threatening or unwelcome sexual advances.

Both women and men can experience MST during their service. All Veterans seen at Veterans Health Administration facilities are asked about experiences of sexual trauma because we know that any type of trauma can affect a person’s physical and mental health, even many years later. We also know that people can recover from trauma. VA has free services to help Veterans do this.  You do not need to have a VA disability rating (be “service connected”) to receive these services and may be able to receive services even if you are not eligible for other VA care.  You do not need to have reported the incident(s) when they happened or have other documentation that they occurred.

VA Programs & Services

While MST can be a very difficult experience, recovery is possible. Treatment can help improve your quality of life by focusing on strategies for managing emotions and memories or, for Veterans who are ready, involve actually talking about their MST experiences in depth.

At the VA, Veterans can receive free, confidential treatment for mental and physical health conditions related to MST. You may be able to receive this MST-related care even if you are not eligible for other VA services. To receive these services, you do not need a VA service-connected disability rating, to have reported the incident when it happened, or have other documentation that it occurred.

Knowing that MST survivors may have special needs and concerns, every VA healthcare facility has an MST Coordinator who can answer any questions you might have about VA’s MST services. VA also has a range of other services available to meet Veterans where they are at in their recovery:

• Every VA healthcare facility has providers knowledgeable about treatment for problems related to MST. Because MST is associated with a range of mental health problems, VA’s general services for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and others are important resources for MST survivors. In addition, many VA facilities have specialized outpatient mental health services focusing specifically on sexual trauma. Vet Centers also have specially trained sexual trauma counselors.
• VA has programs that offer specialized MST treatment in a residential or inpatient setting. These programs are for Veterans who need more intense treatment and support.
• Because some Veterans do not feel comfortable in mixed-gender treatment settings, some facilities have separate programs for men and women. All residential and inpatient MST programs have separate sleeping areas for men and women.

For more information, Veterans can speak with their existing VA healthcare provider, contact the MST Coordinator at their nearest VA Medical Center, or contact their local Vet Center. A list of VA and Vet Center facilities can be found online by using the VA Facility Locator or Vet Center Locator. Veterans should feel free to ask to meet with a clinician of a particular gender if it would make them feel more comfortable. Veterans can also call VA’s general information hotline at 1-800-827-1000. Information in Spanish is available in this brochure (PDF).

Articles & Fact Sheets

Fact Sheets

• Military Sexual Trauma (PDF): Provides background information about MST.
• What is military sexual trauma (MST)?
• How common is MST?
• How can MST affect Veterans?
• How has VA responded to the problem of MST?
• How can Veterans get help?
• MST Brochure for Veterans (English)/(Spanish) (PDFs): The MST Brochure provides additional information on issues related to MST.
• Top 10 Facts about VA Services for MST (PDF): A brief list of the most important facts about VA services for survivors of military sexual trauma.

Articles

• Don't Suffer in Silence: VA Offers Help for Military Sexual Trauma (MST): In this article, Air National Guard Veteran Jennifer Norris and Army Veteran Rowdy Grigsby share their stories.
• Military Sexual Trauma: Stories from Survivors: In this article, two MST survivors, John and Glenda, share their stories of recovery from MST.  They also describe how taking advantage of free services from the VA helped with this process.
• Veteran Learns to "Face her Demons" with VA PTSD Treatment: Michelle Covert had PTSD for 24 years but didn’t know it. Today, thanks to her treatment at a VA hospital, she is working, happy and determined to be a “voice of hope.”

Other Resources

• MakeTheConnection.net: Visit this site to view stories of Veterans who have overcome military sexual trauma. MakeTheConnection.net is a one-stop resource where Veterans and their families and friends can privately explore information on mental health issues, hear fellow Veterans and their families share their stories of resilience, and easily find and access the support and resources they need.
  • Watch video testimonials from Veterans who have found ways to address the effects of military sexual trauma, and to learn more about Veterans’ experiences finding treatment and recovery.
  
  
• After Deployment*: afterdeployment.org provides a program designed to provide support to service members who are healing after having experienced sexual trauma.
• MyDuty.mil*: If you are an active duty service member and have been a victim of Military Sexual Assault (or know someone who has), MyDuty.mil provides information and guidance on your reporting options and rights.
• DoD Safe Helpline*: DoD Safe Helpline is a crisis support service for members of the DoD community affected by sexual assault. Through the Safe Helpline, you can “click, call or text” to receive anonymous one-on-one advice, support, and information 24/7. You can go to www.safehelpline.org for a live chat or to view resources. From anywhere in the world, you can call 877-995-5247, or text your zip code or base/installation name to 55-247 inside the US (202-470-5546 outside the US) to get the contact information for your nearest Sexual Assault Response Coordinator.