Warner & Kaine Join Bipartisan Push to Expand Resources for Women Veterans Seeking Support for Sexual Trauma

Letter

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“While the VA has made many improvements over the years, we are concerned that women veterans, specifically those who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST), continue to face barriers to care,. While we commend the VA for providing free counseling and evidence-based treatment for women with MST, these services are clearly under-utilized, as only approximately half of female veterans with an MST history use VA healthcare.

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Once enrolled in VA care, many women veterans with MST report needing to justify and explain their request for treatment to their provider. This experience causes undue stress and places an unnecessary burden on the veteran. To reduce the stigma of seeking care for MST, the VA must educate all providers about the high prevalence and complexities of MST. Staff at all levels of care should be well-versed in trauma-informed care, recognize the signs and symptoms of PTSD and MST, and understand how that impacts trust. This is especially important for women who report MST to military legal officials but experience significant secondary victimization, which often impairs later help-seeking in VA facilities.”

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