Sexual assault is a pervasive problem in the United States, including in the Armed Forces. Through our conversation with Lucie Piper, we hope to bring knowledge to the public and be an overall resource for military sexual trauma (MST) victims and the community to help individuals they love. This topic isn’t spoken about enough.
In this interview, Lucie and Tesa discuss:
How military sexual trauma (MST) differs from sexual trauma in the civilian world
The trauma responses created from MST
How mental health conditions can come with MST, such as PTSD, and what to consider for treatment
The benefits of mental health professionals “having a toolbox” in order to provide a holistic approach for MST victims
The process of sexual assault and harassment reporting as active-duty military and as a veteran and how reporting can impact the victim
Why analyzing MST data is so difficult
Why many MST victims need to re-learn coping mechanisms
Why reporting sexual assault and harassment is so difficult in the military
How to care for veterans who are MST survivors also dealing with other military-related mental health issues
DOD and VA programs in place to prevent MST and support survivors and what this requires of the victim
How MST relates to greater systemic issues and why we need greater change to support all sexual assault survivors
Episode Resources:
VA MST Program Information: Veterans do not need to be service-connected or have a VA disability to access MST care. In many cases, veterans can receive this benefit even if they are not eligible for other VA care. Veterans can receive MST services even if they did not report the MST during their service. The MST does not need to be in your military medical records to access VA MST support.
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