Military sexual trauma
[5][3] The behavior may include physical force, threats of negative consequences, implied promotion, promises of favored treatment, or intoxication of either the perpetrator or the victim or both.
[7] Gross et al. (2018) defines MSA as "[i]ntentional sexual contact characterized by the use of force, threats, intimidation, or abuse of authority or when the victim does not or cannot consent that has occurred at any point during active-duty military.
Factors related to higher risk of MSA are; "younger age, enlisted rank, being nonmarried, and low educational achievement".
[11] Institutional betrayal was additionally found to impact the type of health care sought by survivors of MSA.
[16] Research has shown that Iraqi/Afghanistan-era male veterans reporting MSA displayed higher negative functional and psychiatric outcomes.
[16] Studies have also shown that MSA in male veterans did not result in significant problems with controlling violent behavior, incarceration, or lower social support.
[18] Due to compounded identity-based stressors, LGB service members and veterans are also at higher risk for suicide attempts compared to civilians.
[6] Whereas Proximal Minority Stressors have been defined as; "internal processes, such as feelings of stress, anxiety, and concern, regarding concealment of true gender identity".
[23] As a result of these and similar findings, 17 former service members filed a lawsuit in 2010 accusing the Department of Defense of allowing a military culture that fails to prevent rapes and sexual assaults.
Currently, the U.S. military allows victims of MST to make either restricted or unrestricted reports of sexual assault.
A restricted report, allows victims to receive access to counseling and medical resources without disclosing their assault to authorities or seeking litigation against the perpetrator(s).
[26] Additionally, perceived stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment after experiencing MST affects reporting.
[28] A diagnosis of a personality disorder also discounts or minimizes the credibility of the victim and may result in stigmatization by the civilian community.
[29] In spite of increased access to medical and mental health resources there are also important drawbacks to unrestricted reports of MST.
[21][28] Retaliation from reporting a sexual complaint may have distressing consequences for the victim and weakens the respectful culture of the military.
Retaliation can refer to reprisal, ostracism, maltreatment or abusive behavior by co-workers, exclusion by peers, or disruption of their career.
Therefore, victims are sent the message to "keep quiet and deal with it" rather than reporting the assault and possibly losing their career and military benefits.
[22] Additionally, according to an investigation by the Human Rights Watch in 2016,[28] many survivors reported they received more disciplinary notices, were seen as "troublemakers", assigned undesirable shift assignments, were intimidated by drill sergeants, were threatened by peers with comments such as "you got what you deserved", and were socially isolated and further assaulted due to fear of more retaliation after an initial report.
Medical symptoms survivors have experienced include sexual difficulties, chronic pain, weight gain, gastrointestinal problems and eating disorders.
[29][30][26][31] In 2017, a study found that MST increases the chances a female survivor will become a victim of Intimate partner violence (IPV).
[32] According to research, reports of MST have been shown to be higher among veteran populations compared to current active duty personnel and DoD estimates.
[15] Suffering from MSA causes psychological effects on veterans, often identified as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
[15] The disparity between heterosexual and non-heterosexual individuals’ exposure to MSA creates a divide in likelihood of psychological effects.
[15] Veterans identifying with a sexual minority have reported to suffer from depression at a higher percentage than their heterosexual counterparts (49.7% vs.
[37] Holland and colleagues (2015)[38] found that survivors who perceived greater logistical barriers to obtaining mental health care reported more symptoms of depression and PTSD.
[24][37][30] However, the strongest predictor of any of these negative mental health outcomes, for either gender, includes anticipating public stigma (i.e., worrying about being blamed for the assault).
[38] In 2004 the Department of Defense (DOD) launched a task force that identified that service members who had faced sexual assault and harassment while deployed were in need of specialized medical treatments.
[45][46][47] A special provision in federal regulations lessens the burden of proof for veterans with MST-related posttraumatic stress disorder.
