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The Effects of Sexual Assault on Female Veterans and How it Correlates to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Southeastern Oklahoma State University

SOC3003 Introduction to Social Research

S. Spencer, MLS

The Effects of Sexual Assault on Female Veterans and How it Correlates to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Military sexual assault in the ranks has come to the attention of the public in recent years, however, the lasting effects on the victims has not. Various after effects of sexual assault within the ranks have begun to be seen as a pattern and have not been studied thoroughly. Some of these after effects are: Homelessness, post-traumatic stress disorder, poor physical health and poor mental health (LeardMann et al., 2013).

It has been reported that negative effects on health and functioning due to sexual assault and harassment experience in the military can arise years or even decades after the attack (Bell, Turchik, and Karpenko, 2014). Several risk factors for female veterans who experience intimate partner violence which can include pre-military trauma, military sexual trauma, and PTSD; these traumas can then result in traumatic brain injury and homelessness (Gerber, Iverson, Dichter, Klap, & Latta, 2014).

The secretary of defense Leon Panetta codified a directive ordering all sexual assault cases to be dealt with by ranking officers of colonel or higher (Ellison, 2012). This helped to end the ability for the unit commanders of the victims to handle the cases. With this paper the aim of the study is to use the effects and traumas of past soldiers, and to determine the cause of the correlations to PTSD for future soldiers.

Literature Review

In LeardMann et al.’s (2013) summary study reviews the sexual stressors occurrence the correlations of its effects in relation to the female troops currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. There were several different factors assessed in determining the association of sexual abuse on female military personnel with combat deployment such as: longitudinal data, associations of the recently deployed, and individual and environmental factors (LeardMann et al., 2013). It was found that compared to nondeployers women who were deployed and were involved in combat were greatly more likely to report either one or both sexual harassment and sexual assault. There were a list of important risk factors for sexual stressor in which include: being of a younger age, recently divorced or separated, having served in the Marine Corps, test positive for a baseline mental health disorder, severe life stressors, and previous sexual stressor experience (LeardMann et al., 2013). This study lists a number of strengths and limitations. This was the first study to investigate the correlation between military women deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and sexual assault. It was suggested that data reporting has minimal non-response bias and recall errors were reduced due to the outcome information being collected in a short period of time. However, due to this short three year time frame making it impossible to know whether these events happened before, during, or after the deployments (LeardMann et al., 2013). In addition there was no information collected on the offenders therefore unable to characterize the individuals committing the sexual assault. In conclusions of this study deployment was not specifically associated with sexual assault, however, both women who have been deployed and experienced combat were at a greater risk than that of service women who did not deploy.

Rossiter and Smith (2013) case study was to raise awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma and the physical and psychological effects associated with military sexual trauma. It was reported to the Department of Defense 3,347 sexual assault cases were treated while at least 26,000 cases went unreported in 2012 (Rossiter & Smith, 2013). While many of the veterans look for care in both the Veteran Administration and civilian healthcare, it was noted that the questioning system is lacking when it comes to sexual trauma. It was concluded that female veterans are the fastest growing sector in the veteran population however many are increasingly exposed the risk of mental and medical health concerns due to sexual trauma (Rossiter & Smith, 2013). With that being said it has become imperative for the physicians treating each veteran to ask the question ‘Have you been in the military?’ or if treated in the VA that sexual trauma is brought up in the line of questioning so that the treatment process can begin.

Gerber et al.’s (2014) study is similar to that of Rossiter and Smith’s focusing mostly on the Veterans Health Administration and utilizing their resources to better recognize symptoms of intimate partner violence. This study focuses on the risk factors and prevention of intimate partner violence, however, it is noted that not only within the VA but also in civilian care facilities that there is a need to focus on the strengths to aid in the recovery of sexual assault (Gerber et al., 2014).

References

Bell, M. E., Turchik, J. A., & Karpenko, J. A., (2014). Impact of gender on reactions to military sexual assault and harassment. National Association of Social Workers, 39(1), 25-33. doi: 10.1093/hsw/hlu004