Sexual Assault In The Military Research Articles

The impact of childhood abuse on future military sexual assault and PTSD symptomology in Australian veterans.

The trauma most commonly associated with the military is combat-related trauma. It is increasingly recognised that childhood sexual and physical abuse and military sexual assault may influence or exacerbate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when military members are exposed to combat. The study aimed to determine whether a history of childhood sexual and physical abuse would increase the likelihood of military sexual assault (MSA) and determine whether a history of sexual abuse (childhood or military) impacted the incidence and severity of post-trauma sequelae compared to veterans without this history. A retrospective correlational analysis was performed on baseline data collected from clinical case records of a cohort of 134 Australian veterans with PTSD who had attended an outpatient Military Service Trauma Recovery Day Programme between October 2020 and May 2022. Almost half (48.5%) of veterans reported a history of abuse. Prevalence rates of military sexual abuse, child sexual abuse and child physical abuse were 14.9%, 13.4% and 23.1% respectively. The relationship between those who experienced childhood abuse and those who experienced military sexual abuse was not significant. No significant differences were observed between those who experienced any sexual abuse and those who did not on intake scores of psychological symptoms. This is the first Australian study to investigate the prevalence of childhood abuse and military sexual abuse and its impact on PTSD and associated psychopathology in a sample of veterans seeking mental health treatment. No additional risks of experiencing military sexual assault were found for those who had survived childhood sexual abuse.

Protecting but Not Protected: Sexual Assault in the Military

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to uncover common themes among tweets shared by victims of military sexual assault (MSA) and make suggestions for policy implications. By using Twitter as a unique data source, researchers were able to analyze self-report data that were not available elsewhere. Results of this qualitative study indicate leadership has a profound impact on MSA. Leaders failed victims in several ways: some were the offenders, some hindered the reporting process, and others ridiculed the victim. Researchers suggest reevaluation of current programs, creation of training programs for military leaders, and adequate resources be made available to MSA victims.

Involvement of women in military education in Ukraine

Women’s access to military education is an important component of building the value of equal rights and opportunities in the military sphere. Ukraine’s implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 “Women, Peace, Security” provides for equal access of women and men to educational institutions of all levels of the security and defense sector. It is about providing full access to women to enter military educational institutions, integrating gender approaches into the system of training specialists for the security and defense sector, ensuring infrastructural and material and technical conditions of educational institutions of the security and defense sector for the training of girls. Protection from sexual harassment in the military in general and in military educational institutions in particular is another important aspect for the implementation of gender equality policy.Public opinion on whether women should be given equal opportunities with men to obtain military education was determined on the basis of a representative survey for Ukraine conducted in September 2018. Differences in support for the statement that women should be given equal opportunities with men to obtain military education were found depending on the respondents’ gender, age, region of residence, size of the settlement, and level of education.Women appeared, on the one hand, to be slightly more egalitarian in supporting women’s access to military education. Expectedly, more egalitarian views regarding the involvement of women in military education were demonstrated by respondents with a higher level of education, as well as residents of large cities. Residents of Eastern Ukraine to a lesser extent than in other regions support the opinion that women should be given equal opportunities with men to obtain a military education. Since there are several military educational institutions in the East of Ukraine (in particular, in Kharkiv), it is important to draw additional attention to the visibility of women in this field.

Her Cold War: Women in the U.S. Military 1945–1980 by Tanya L. Roth

<i>Her Cold War: Women in the U.S. Military 1945–1980</i> by Tanya L. Roth

PTSD symptoms as a potential mediator of associations between military sexual assault and disordered eating

ABSTRACT Despite increasing rates of sexual assault in the military and high rates of disordered eating and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans, little is known about how these constructs are related. This study examined whether PTSD symptoms mediate the relation between military sexual assault and disordered eating among female veterans. United States female veterans (N = 98) completed self-report measures assessing military sexual assault, PTSD, and disordered eating. Results indicated that military sexual assault was associated with higher PTSD symptoms and disordered eating. PTSD symptoms did not mediate the relation between military sexual assault and overall levels of disordered eating. However, PTSD symptoms fully mediated the relation between military sexual assault and the Bulimia and Food Preoccupation subscale of the Eating Attitudes Test-26. Findings suggest that military sexual assault may contribute to the development of bulimia nervosa symptoms indirectly through PTSD symptoms. Thus, the findings do not support a global relationship between trauma and all facets of disordered eating, but demonstrate a relationship between PTSD and bulimia nervosa symptoms, with purging potentially functioning as an emotion regulation strategy. Future longitudinal studies are needed to establish temporal precedence of these associations.

Psychological outcomes following sexual assault: Differences by sexual assault setting.

Sexual assault is associated with increased psychological distress. It is possible that military sexual assault (MSA) is associated with heightened psychological distress compared to adult sexual assault that occurs pre- or postmilitary service due to the nature of the military setting. Veterans and service members (N = 3,114; 19.6% women) who participated in the Post-Deployment Mental Health Study completed self-report measures of sexual assault history, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), symptoms of depression, hazardous alcohol use, drug use, and suicidal ideation. Women who reported a history of MSA endorsed higher levels of all types of psychological distress than women who did not experience adult sexual assault. Women who reported a history of MSA also endorsed higher levels of PTSD and depression symptoms than women who experienced pre- or postmilitary adult sexual assault. Men who reported a history of adult sexual assault, regardless of setting, reported higher levels of PTSD and depression symptoms than individuals who did not experience adult sexual assault. MSA was associated with higher psychological distress than pre- or postmilitary adult sexual assault among women. Among men, distress associated with MSA was comparable to sexual assault outside the military. Women may face unique challenges when they experience sexual assault in the military, and men may face additional stigma (compared to women) when they experience sexual assault, regardless of setting. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

An intersectional approach to military sexual violence

AbstractDespite over 15 years of targeted prevention efforts in the U.S. military, incidence and prevalence rates of sexual violence have remained consistently high. While there has been an abundance of research on military sexual abuse, most studies have explored the issue through reporting isolated demographic variables that correlate with sexual violence vulnerability. However, intersecting oppressions based on race, gender, immigration status, class, sexuality, and other social locations produce diverse risks, experiences, and responses to sexual abuse. In the military context, factors such as branch, rank, unit, deployment status, and combat experience also shape experiences with and responses to sexual harassment and assault. This article argues for an intersectional approach to understand military sexual violence to better unpack the immensely varied sexual abuse experiences that service members may have. Additionally, prior research on the relationship between the military, masculinity, and sexual violence has often ignored the fluidity of masculinity and the myriad of ways in which gender, violence, and victimization are related. In advocating for an intersectional approach to research on military sexual violence, this article also challenges assumptions of a static military masculinity. Finally, an intersectional perspective can reveal the inadequacy of policies, practices, and research that assume a uniform victim experience.

Measuring the Effectiveness of the Proposal to Divest Military Commanders of Disposition Authority for Sexual Assault Cases: A Comparative Quantitative Analysis

As suggestions to modify the practice of the U.S. military justice system return to the fore of American political discourse, the perennial proposal to divest commanders of authority to convene courts-martial to adjudicate allegations of sexual assault is once again at the center of the debate. While reformists are adamant that the suggested revision would support efforts to end what has been characterized as an “epidemic of rape” in the U.S. military, the precise connection between the “reform” and the desired improved outcomes remains tenuous. An assessment of jurisdictions that have already divested commanders of such authority could provide persuasive support to the reformist assertion that the United States could expect improved performance – if the assessment reveals improved performance in other jurisdictions. This essay conducts a comparative quantitative analysis of four jurisdictions – Australia, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Canada – to determine whether vesting court-martial convening authority in lawyers rather than commanders has resulted in improved performance in selected criteria in relation to the issue of sexual assault in the military. The comparative quantitative analysis conducted in this essay indicates that there is no correlative relationship between the “reform” and the improved performance reformists hope to achieve, at least in the context of the jurisdictions examined. This lack of a demonstrated correlative relationship in other jurisdictions creates reason to doubt whether divesting commanders of the authority to convene courts-martial to adjudicate allegations of sexual assault would lead to improved performance related to sexual assault in the U.S. military.

A Detailed Assessment of the Sexual Assault Prevalence Statistics at the Center of the Military Justice Reform Movement

“Twenty thousand service members experience sexual assault every year” while “only a tiny fraction of those end up with any kind of action at all in the military justice system.” Lynn Rosenthal, director of the DoD Independent Review Commission, recently offered this observation at a press conference while summarizing the findings reflected in the commission’s report. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand indicated in a recent blog post that “an estimated 20,500 service members are sexually assaulted every year” to make the case that there “is an epidemic of sexual assault in the military and the current military justice system has proven incapable of addressing it.” Likewise, General Mark Milley, currently the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently observed, “If we had 20,000 casualties in Afghanistan last year or 20,000 casualties in Iraq, we'd be taking some pretty radical actions to correct that.” The assertion that an estimated 20,000 U.S. military service members are sexually assaulted each year has become a common refrain in contemporary discourse. Indeed, the estimated prevalence data have long been at the center of the movement to divest commanders of the authority to initiate criminal charges and refer offenses to court-martial. Whence is this estimate of 20,000 annual sexual assaults drawn, and how effective is it as a measure of the performance of the commander-centric U.S. military justice system? This essay conducts a detailed assessment of the claim that an estimated 20,000 service members are sexually assaulted each year. The source of the assertion, a biennial survey that was last conducted by the DoD Office of People Analytics in 2018, is identified along with prior iterations of the survey. With the source identified, the essay examines several limitations that support the conclusions that the “estimate” is not an accurate approximation for actual sexual assault offenses and that these central prevalence data are not an effective measure of the performance of the U.S. military justice system. After examining these factors in detail, the essay concludes by considering the landscape of the debate regarding commander disposition authority when the prevalence data at the center of the reform movement are put into proper context.

Responding to Sexual Assault in the Military: Policies and Practice

The need for updated prevention and response techniques for sexual assault within the military came to light in 2004. Since then, the Department of Defense (DoD) has greatly revitalized its trainings, prevention strategies, and responses to sexual assault. To have a healthy, fighting force, the DoD recognizes that it needs to properly take care of its service members. This article reviews the process available to service members for reporting a sexual assault while on active duty as well as procuring resources. These resources will be explained across DoD services to allow behavioral health providers outside of military medical hospitals insight into what the DoD's responses to sexual assault currently entail. The Department of Veterans Affairs/DoD clinical practice guidelines are also highlighted, stating the most efficacious treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2020;50(10):427–431.]

Effects of self defence training for sexual assault prevention in the Air Force

Sexual assault (SA) in the military has become a prominent societal concern. A recently released Department of Defence report on Military Sexual Abuse (MSA) concluded that SA continues to be a significant problem in the Armed Forces. To address this issue, systematic and cultural change including training military personnel on sexual assault and the prevention and protection against SA are needed. A study examining the effectiveness of a week-long workshop using the Gracie Defence Systems (GDS) was conducted. The results suggest that Gracie training designed to empower military personnel to prevent and protect themselves against SA and teach sexual awareness was effective. The overall effects of the training (f2 = .41; large ES) appear to impact underlying constructs including self-efficacy, self-determination, vigilance, and vulnerability. In addition, differences were found between males and females prior to training (f2 = .44) and after training (f2 = .29) as well as differences between those who had prior self-defence training and those that did not (f2 = .35). Recommendations include field testing and validating a measure that adequately examines self-efficacy, self-determination, vigilance, and vulnerability as well as continued efforts to implement SA training throughout the military and improve policies.

Sexual Assault in the Military and Increased Odds of Sexual Pain Among Female Veterans.

To examine whether the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and sexual function in civilian women is also found among female veterans, and to consider the additional effects of sexual assault in the military. Using a retrospective cohort design, participants (N=1,004) from two midwestern Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and associated clinics completed a telephone-assisted interview on sexual assault, sexual pain, and mental health. Binary logistic regression was used to compare the rates of sexual pain between women with no sexual assault history, histories of childhood sexual abuse alone, histories of sexual assault in the military alone, and histories of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault in the military. Female veterans with histories of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault in the military reported the highest rates of sexual pain (χ(3)=40.98, P<.001), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD, χ(3)=88.18, P<.001), and depression (χ(3)=56.07, P<.001), followed by women with sexual assault in the military histories alone, women with childhood sexual abuse histories alone, and women with no sexual assault. Female veterans with histories of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault in the military were 4.33 times more likely to report sexual pain, 6.35 times more likely to report PTSD, and 3.91 times more likely to report depression than female veterans with no sexual assault. The relationship between sexual assault and sexual pain in female veterans is distinct from their civilian peers. For female veterans, sexual assault in the military is more detrimental to sexual function (specifically sexual pain) than childhood sexual abuse alone, and the combination of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault in the military confers the greatest risk for sexual pain. Given this difference in sexual health, treatments for sexual dysfunction related to a history of childhood sexual abuse in civilian women may not be adequate for female veterans. Female veterans may require a targeted treatment approach that takes into account the particular nature and consequences of sexual assault in the military.

Silence‐breaking butterfly effect: Resistance towards the military within #MeToo

Systemic violence against women in the military has existed for decades, but they have mostly refrained from public resistance. However, in the context of the #MeToo movement in Sweden, 1768 women published a call for an end to violence and sexual harassment in the military. We analyse this call as a public resistance effort against the military and find that #MeToo is: (i) challenging the norms of the hyper‐masculine military organization, making resistance towards it visible; and (ii) resisting the practices of sexual harassment and lack of responsibility in the military organization. The military organization is questioned when it comes to norms and practices, but there are variations in whether the social order of the military is truly challenged. Still, the call highlights the fragmentation of this ‘last bastion of masculinity’. More research is needed on the erosion of the militarized norms and practices and the effects of the call.

Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, and Physical Activity Among U.S. Military Service Members in the Millennium Cohort Study.

Sexual harassment (SH) and sexual assault (SA) continue to be a focus of prevention efforts in the U.S. military because of the prevalence and potential to affect the health and readiness of service members. Limited research exists on the association of SH and SA with coping behaviors, such as physical activity, within the military. Data including self-reported SA, SH, and physical activity were obtained from the Millennium Cohort Study, a longitudinal cohort study designed to examine the impact of military service on the health and well-being of service members. A hierarchical regression approach was applied to examine the association between SH or SA and subsequent physical activity levels. Hierarchical regression showed that, among those self-reporting recent SA, the odds of medium-high (300-449 min/week) and high physical activity levels (≥450 min/week) were significantly increased. Although the magnitude of these associations was attenuated with an increasing amount of adjustment, the odds of high physical activity levels remained statistically significant in the fully adjusted model (medium-high: odds ratio [OR] = 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.08, 2.73]; high: OR = 1.58, 95% CI = [1.02, 2.44]). We observed statistically significant negative associations between recent SH and medium-high physical activity levels in adjusted models (OR = 0.70, 95% CI = [0.54, 0.91]). The current results demonstrate that SA is generally associated with increased levels of physical activity among military service members. Analyzing the relationship between sexual trauma and physical activity is valuable because of the high prevalence of SH and SA in the military, long-term health implications including physical and emotional well-being, and potential impact on military readiness.

Sexual Harassment in the Military: Implications for Civilian Nursing Policy

Sexual harassment in the nursing community creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, and humiliating work environment. It is possible that civilian nursing leaders can learn from the best practices demonstrated in established policies for sexual harassment in the military environment. This article offers an overview of U.S. military, and specifically Department of Defense goals, policies, procedures, and protocols related to sexual harassment, and also considers such harassment in the civilian sector. In addition, the authors compare policy differences between military and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Finally, discussion addresses the #MeToo and #EndNurseAbuse campaigns, followed by suggestions for what nurses need to know and do, recommended best practices from the military, and important areas for future research.

The impact of leadership on sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military

ABSTRACTSexual harassment and assault are realities in the military. Recent reports indicate that these types of behaviors are not decreasing despite updated policies, better reporting procedures and increased resources. Leadership is offered as both an antecedent to and as a vehicle by which to address these destructive and criminal behaviors among the military ranks. A review of relevant leadership research is provided focused on unique aspects of the military that influence sexual violence, leader behaviors, and the full range leadership model. Through this review, recommendations are offered as to how the military can develop leaders to provide appropriate leadership at all levels to create the right climate in units to be resistant to sexual harassment and assault. Overall, the authors argue that leadership offers the greatest opportunity to prevent and reduce the consequences of sexual harassment and assault in the military, but that it must be integrated into intentional leader development and accountability efforts at both the organizational and individual level.

Victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military: Understanding risks and promoting recovery

ABSTRACTUltimately, sexual harassment and sexual assault can only be eradicated by understanding and intervening with its perpetrators, however a thorough understanding of victims and their experiences is also crucial. Knowing who victims are—that is, who do perpetrators choose to victimize?—aids in predicting and interrupting perpetration. Knowing about victims’ experiences during and after harassment and assault—that is, how are victims impacted?—is necessary to design effective, sensitive interventions to support their recovery. To assist the field in these efforts, this article reviews what is currently known about risk for experiencing sexual harassment and assault during military service and the issues survivors face in recovery. Particular attention is paid to identifying areas where more study is needed.

Minds, Hearts, and Bodies, Not Data Points: A Response to Harris, McDonald, and Sparks’s “Sexual Harassment in the Military: Individual Experiences, Demographics, and Organizational Contexts”

Harris, McDonald, and Sparks’s recent quantitative research article, Sexual Harassment in the Military: Individual Experiences, Demographics, and Organizational Contexts, does not deliver its title...

Sexual Assault and Disabling PTSD in Active Duty Service Women.

Sexual assault in the military is a major concern and may result in significant health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Those developing disabling PTSD symptoms may require a disability evaluation. We examined disability evaluation trends for service women with PTSD to better understand characteristics associated with inability to continue Active Duty service. This is a retrospective review of disability reports and electronic medical records for 322 Active Duty women diagnosed with and treated for PTSD by psychiatrists and psychologists at a large military treatment facility between 2011 and 2014. Service women requiring medical disability evaluation for PTSD (n = 159) were included in the study as "IDES cases" (Integrated Disability Evaluation System - IDES). A similar number of women, randomly selected from those seeking care for PTSD but not requiring disability evaluation during the same period, were included in the "control" group (n = 163). Analyzes done to evaluate differences between groups (IDES cases vs. controls) included demographic and service-related characteristics, history of chronic pain, and PTSD index trauma types, such as pre-military trauma and military sexual trauma (MST). Logistic regression was performed to identify the factors associated with inclusion in IDES. MST was the most frequent PTSD index trauma in the IDES group (73.6% vs. 44.8% of control group) and the most significant factor associated with IDES inclusion (OR 2.6, p = 0.032). Those in the IDES group had significantly greater number of mental health visits for PTSD (IDES: m = 68.6 vs. controls: m = 29.6) and more frequent chronic pain history (IDES 40.9% vs. controls 19.6%) than those in the control group. Approximately 65% of women in both groups had a history of childhood abuse, but childhood abuse, as a PTSD index trauma, was negatively associated with IDES inclusion (OR 0.293, p = 0.006). Active Duty service women with PTSD and a MST index trauma are much more likely to require disability evaluation (IDES) than those with PTSD due to other trauma types. IDES evaluation for conditions such as PTSD may result in early termination of military service and is a potential downstream consequence of MST. Service women requiring greater numbers of mental health visits for PTSD treatment may benefit from a multidisciplinary approach to treating concurrent health conditions, such as chronic pain. Those providing care for service women should evaluate for MST, chronic pain and pre-military trauma, such as childhood abuse; and aggressively treat these conditions to prevent PTSD and disability.

Sexual Harassment in the Military

Purpose: Sexual harassment remains a persistent problem in the U.S. military despite extensive research and policy initiatives. Theoretical explanations identify individual circumstances (e.g., power differentials) and organizational factors (e.g., climate, culture). However, data constraints limit the capacity to link individual contexts with independent measures of environments. Data/Methods: A unique Defense Equality Opportunity Climate Survey allows assessment of organizational climates and individual experiences with multilevel analyses. Results: Sexist environmental context increases the likelihood of personal harassment experiences after controlling for individual-level variables. However, unit-level climate, group cohesion, and job satisfaction are not significant. Conclusion: Both individual and organizational factors are important. However, the organizational context has less to do with culture or unit cohesion and more to do with tolerance of sexism. Focusing on problem units may be effective for reducing the prevalence and persistence of sexual harassment.