You’re 

Not Alone 

in Recovering from 

Military Sexual Trauma 

VA CAN HELP
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Military Sexual Trauma

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Military sexual trauma (MST) is sexual 

assault or sexual harassment that 

occurred during military service, 

including:

• Being pressured into sexual activities,

such as with threats

• Sexual activities without your

consent, such as when asleep or

intoxicated

• Being overpowered or physically

forced to have sex

• Being sexually touched or grabbed in

a way that made you uncomfortable,

including during hazing experiences

• Repeated comments about your

body or sexual activities

• Threatening and unwelcome sexual

advances

• Any other sexual activity where you

were involved against your will or

unable to say “no”

MST can occur at any time or place 

during your military service, such as 

while you’re on or off duty, or on or off 

base. The perpetrator(s) may or may 

not be someone you know and may be 

fellow Servicemembers or civilians.

People don’t often talk about sexual 

assault or sexual harassment, so 

survivors may think they’re the only 

ones to experience it or to have 

difficulties afterwards. 

However, Veterans from all types of 

backgrounds have experienced MST:

• All genders and ages

• All ranks, branches and eras of

service

• All racial and ethnic backgrounds

• All sexual orientations

• All religious backgrounds

• All physical sizes and strengths
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Some Common Reactions

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MST can affect a 

person’s mental 

and physical 

health, even 

many years later. 

Veterans can 

differ in their 

reactions to MST, especially based on 

their gender, race, ethnic background, 

religion, sexual orientation, previous 

stressful life experiences, and other 

background factors. Some common 

difficulties include:

• Strong emotions: intense, sudden

emotional reactions to things; feeling

depressed, angry or irritable; feeling

ashamed or “damaged”

• Feelings of numbness: feeling

emotionally “flat”; difficulty feeling

emotions like love or happiness

• Trouble sleeping: trouble falling or

staying asleep; disturbing dreams

• Difficulties with attention,

concentration, and memory:

trouble staying focused; having a

hard time remembering things

• Self-doubt or questioning: blaming

yourself; questioning parts of who

you are, like your masculinity/

femininity or sexual orientation

• Problems with alcohol or other

substances: drinking or using

substances or getting “high” to cope

or escape

• Self-harm or unsafe behaviors:

suicidal thoughts or behaviors;

cutting; risk-taking; aggression

• Difficulty with things that remind

them of their experiences of sexual

trauma: feeling on edge or “jumpy”;

difficulty feeling safe; avoiding

reminders of MST

• Difficulties in relationships: feeling

isolated or disconnected; difficulty

trusting; unsafe relationships; trouble

with authority figures; frequent

arguments

• Sexual difficulties: concerns about

sex drive; problems with arousal,

enjoyment, performance, or pain

during sex; avoidance of physical

intimacy

• Physical health problems: chronic

pain; weight or eating problems;

digestive problems

Recovery from 

MST is possible, 

and it’s never 

too late to move 

forward.
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VA is Here to Help

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There are many steps you can take to 

move forward after MST, and starting 

treatment may be one of them. 

• VA offers free, confidential

counseling and treatment to Veterans

for mental and physical health

conditions 

related to 

experiences 

of MST. You 

do not need 

to have a 

VA disability 

rating (be 

“service 

connected”) and may be able to 

receive services even if you are not

eligible for other VA care. You do not

need to have reported the incident 

when it happened or have other 

documentation that it occurred.

• Every VA health care system has an

MST Coordinator who can help you

access VA services and programs.

• MST-related services are available at

every VA health care system. MSTrelated counseling is also available

through community-based Vet

Centers. Services are designed to

meet Veterans wherever they are

in their recovery, whether that is

focusing on strategies for coping

with challenging emotions and

memories or, for Veterans who

are ready, talking about their MST

experiences in depth.

• VA knows that Veterans have unique

needs, preferences, and backgrounds

and supports many paths to recovery.

• You can ask to meet with a female or

male clinician if it would make you

feel more comfortable.

Note: Veterans can receive compensation 

for conditions that began or got worse 

in the line of duty, including injuries or 

disabilities related to MST. A Veterans 

Benefits Administration (VBA) MST 

Coordinator at your nearest Regional Office 

can explain more. Visit www.va.gov for 

a list of VBA Regional Offices or call VA’s 

general hotline at 1-800-827-1000. 
Resources and Ways to Learn More

For more information, you can:

• Speak with your VA health care provider

• Contact your local VA health care system

and ask to speak to the MST Coordinator:

www.va.gov/directory

• Contact your local Vet Center:

www.vetcenter.va.gov

• Call VA’s general information line:

1-800-827-1000

• Visit VA’s website about MST:

www.mentalhealth.va.gov/msthome.asp

• Contact the Veteran’s Crisis Line if you are

having a mental health crisis:

1-800-273-TALK (8255) or

www.veteranscrisisline.net.

Operators are specially trained and

experienced in helping Veterans, and

many are Veterans themselves.

August 2016