Sexual Assault Awareness Month is an annual effort each April to raise public awareness about sexual assault. Throughout the month, VA focuses on sexual assault and sexual harassment occurring during military service – also known as military sexual trauma, or MST. This year’s theme across VA is“Speaking up, moving forward: VA supports survivors of military sexual trauma”.
VA military sexual trauma coordinators, such as Melica Wiley, of the Texas Valley Coastal HCS, are taking the theme to heart. Wiley thinks “of all the survivors of military sexual trauma who have remained silent out of fear and/or the stigmas associated with sexual assault. However, due to the #MeToo movement – many survivors for the first time in their lives felt safe enough to speak up.”
“The best way we can support survivors of sexual trauma is by providing a safe place where they can talk. Speaking up is essential for moving forward,” said Susan Thompson of the Fargo North Dakota VA medical center. “There’s power in speaking up, in acknowledging not only what happened but that what happened wasn’t the end of the story. You get to write the rest of the story and you decide where you go from here. It’s constantly inspiring to see the way that speaking up can bring people together, inspire energy for change. After trauma, so many people show exceptional strength and courage, saying this history will not define me, and making sense out of senselessness.“
At VA, Veterans who experienced military sexual trauma have access
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