MST & PTSD Services
83% of women veterans receive their health care from non-VA practices
women have a 1.7 to 2.5 higher chances of developing PTSD than male veterans
Military Sexual Truama (MST)
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) refers to sexual assault or sexual harassment that occurs during military service. Everyday 1 in 6 women will have experienced MST while on active duty. These assualts are perpertrated by officers, as well as junior members. In 2018 over 1300 women and 7500 men were sexually assulted as of 2020 this number has increase by 8%. Howerver, these are the cases that have been reported. Many of the cases go unreported out of fear of retribution. or retaliation from their command or fellow service members.
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40% of homeless women veterans have faced MST.
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When submitting claims to the Veteran Affairs (VA), survivors of MST have to provide more documentation than those who suffer from PTSD to obtain benefits.
Post-Truamatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD as a condition that causes significant distress or impairment from exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation. Women veterans who experience MST are five to eight times more likely to develop PTSD compared to those with no history of MST. Undiagnosed or untreated PTSD can have detrimental effects to the person: physically, emotionally, and mentally. Those who suffer with PTSD are 5 times more likely to inflict harm on themselves or those around them. Many veterans with PTSD will often times self-medicate by using alcohol, drugs and even sex to cope or numb the truama.
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"women have a 1.7 to 2.5 higher chances of developing PTSD than male veterans"
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How do you know if you or someone you know is suffering from PTSD? Here are 4 category of symptoms you may encounter.
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Reliving the event.
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Avoiding things that remind you of the event.
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Having more negative thoughts and feelings than before.
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Feeling on edge or keyed up (also called hyperarousal)
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Women in particularly may more prone to reliving the events and trying to avoid things that remind them of the truama and any negative thoughts associated
