Mental health experts say one of the biggest contributors to psychological problems for women in uniform is military sexual trauma -- a term that covers verbal harassment and physical assault, which is a strong risk factor for PTSD.
Studies conducted by the VA health system vary, but generally about 20 percent of women report a physical assault during their service, Westrup says. "Unfortunately, a huge aspect of that experience is guilt and self-blame and shame on top of stress," she adds.
Last year, the Pentagon announced a new policy of confidentiality, so sexual assault victims can report the incident and get help but law enforcement and senior commanders are not immediately notified.
I read some time ago that in one particular camp, women could not go to the latrine at night without a severe risk of being raped. And it's high time the Pentagon announced that new policy of confidentiality. Up until then, women risked retaliation from their superior officers for simply reporting sexual assault. There is absolutely no excuse for this. The military is responsible for allowing this kind of climate to prevail.
The article goes into more reasons why women face special pressures both in the military and in adjusting once again to civilian life. Recommended.
Sorry none of you have bothered to post in on this important subject,
ReplyDeleteI am a Vietnam war vet, Nurse in Siagon during that war- My husband and 40% of both of our male family membrs were drafted into that war!! I have a 30 yr old son that hasd served 2 15 month tours in Iraq and onw\e 3 moth in Afganistan in the US Army.
I have received the updates Doc Stewart since 9/11 knowing my son would be one of the first called into the response our country had to make to that terrorist attack against innocent US citizen's. For those of you not old enough to remember Pearl Harbor in WW2, Admiral Yakamoto's first comments to his military fleet were- We have awakened a sleeping giant and our country will pay the worst price imaginable for what we did on this day!! My grandfther was in pearl harbor that day!!
Anyway to the subject, any of you that are intelligent American citizens should be intelliegent enough to never take any quote from CNN as anything but pure liberal, biased against our troops, whether men or women in Irag or
afganistan, they are an international news organization who in honest terms hates the values and principles our country stands for.
I will never say that rape or sexual abuse does not or never has existed within our military when women are involved in conflicts where you have 100,000' of men and very few women on bases- but copare the rape rate right within our country, rural communities to the cities and you will find the percentage rates f victims is so small that there is no comnparison to the general population rape rates in any country worldwide!!
We as women military were treated like gold in Nam and according to my son and the hundreds of his comrades at arms over there they feel the same way- Just the pleasure of having our grls from home there helps them survive the brutal daily routines they face in that country and helps them hold onto their memories of home and the wives and children waiting there for them. They consider those ladies from home as a treasure.
If you as have any active military women actually contact you with these complaints or problems, I would offer any and all support that I could myself, besides My ability with my son's ability with his position and inside contacts within country to rectify the problem these women are facing, if the CNN article is factual!!
After my active Nam tour I spent 12 years working VA hospitals on post traumatic syndrome nurse and working with our suicidal vets. I never hd a female patient I had to work with. Though I must admit there were very few fo us active military in Nam except medical personel.
]Since I see no posts on this board as yet, probably no-one will even view my comments or offers of help- but they are here for the taking and anyone I can help would be apleasure to myself and the immense number of troops serving in these war zones that would gladly kill to protect these women's in arms supporting their efforts in these conflicts.
God Bless
Debbie Hahn