VA uses the term “military sexual trauma” (MST) to refer to sexual assault or sexual harassment experienced during military service. MST includes any sexual activity during military service in which you are involved against your will or when unable to say no. Examples include:

• Being pressured or coerced into sexual activities, such as with threats of negative treatment if you refuse to cooperate or with promises of better treatment
• Sexual contact or activities without your consent, including when you were asleep or intoxicated
• Being overpowered or physically forced to have sex
• Being touched or grabbed in a sexual way that made you uncomfortable, including during “hazing” experiences
• Comments about your body or sexual activities that you found threatening
• Unwanted sexual advances that you found threatening

Impact

People of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and branches of service have experienced MST. Like other types of trauma, MST can negatively affect a person’s mental and physical health, even many years later. Things you may experience could include:

• Disturbing memories or nightmares
• Difficulty feeling safe
• Feelings of depression or numbness
• Using alcohol or other drugs to numb or escape from negative feelings
• Feeling isolated from other people
• Difficulties with anger, irritability, or other strong emotions
• Self-doubt, self-blame, or decreased self esteem
• Issues with sleep
• Physical health problems

If you are having any current difficulties related to MST, VA is here to support you in whatever way will help you best — from learning more about how MST affects people, to treatment that helps you cope with how MST is impacting your life currently, or if you prefer, treatment that involves discussing your experiences in more depth.

Treatment

Military sexual trauma can be a very difficult life experience, but recovery is possible. VA offers a range of services to meet MST survivors where they are in their recovery. Treatment for any physical or mental health condition related to MST is provided free of charge.

Eligibility for MST-Related Care

MST-related services are available to individuals with Veteran status and most former Service members with an Other Than Honorable or uncharacterized (entry-level) discharge. Standard length of service requirements do not apply to eligibility for MST-related care, and some individuals may be able to receive MST-related care even if they are not eligible for other VA care. Service connection (that is, a VA disability rating) is not needed.

MST-related care is also available to former National Guard and Reserve members with federal active duty service or a service-connected disability who were discharged under honorable conditions or with an Other Than Honorable discharge. The service-connected disability does not need to be related to their experiences of MST.

Current Service members also can receive services related to MST. At VA’s community-based Vet Centers, current Service members — including members of the National Guard and Reserves — can receive MST-related mental health counseling regardless of gender or era of service. No Department of Defense (DoD) referral is needed, and services are confidential with respect to DoD. In addition, current Service members can also receive MST-related care at VA medical facilities with a DoD referral and TRICARE authorization. General TRICARE copayment requirements may apply. Current Service members’ records from services at VA medical facilities are available to DoD through VA-DoD open health care record sharing.

Individuals do not need to have reported MST experiences when they happened or have other documentation that they occurred.

MST-Related Services

• Every VA health care facility has an MST Coordinator who serves as a contact person for MST-related issues and who can assist you with accessing care. For questions about treatment and health care options related to MST, contact the MST Coordinator nearest you.
• MST-related outpatient services are available at every VA medical center and many VA community-based outpatient clinics. Services are organized differently at different facilities, and MST-related care is available even if a facility does not have a specific MST treatment team. Mental health services include psychological assessment and evaluation, medication evaluation and treatment, and individual and group psychotherapy. Treatment for physical health conditions related to MST is also available.
• Community-based Vet Centers provide MST-related outpatient counseling and referral services in a nonmedical setting.  
• In some cases, VA may cover the costs of health care services with a non-VA community provider if a VA provider determines that receiving care from the community provider is in an individual’s best medical interest or if services are unavailable at a VA facility in the individual’s area. Talk with your local MST Coordinator to learn more.
• For individuals needing more intensive support, VA also provides MST-related mental health treatment in residential or inpatient settings. Because some individuals who experienced MST do not feel comfortable in mixed-gender treatment settings, some facilities have separate programs for men and women. All residential and inpatient programs have separate sleeping areas for men and women.
• Individuals can request a clinician of a particular gender if it helps them feel more comfortable.

Evidence-Based Therapies

MST is an experience, not a diagnosis. As with other forms of trauma, MST can impact you in different ways. No matter what you are experiencing, treatments and resources are available, and VA supports many paths to healing from the impact of MST.

For individuals who have mental health diagnoses such as PTSD or depression related to the experience of MST, evidence-based therapies are among the most effective treatments. They can include the following — which are in many cases available at a local VA medical center.

• Prolonged Exposure (PE) helps individuals with a diagnosis of PTSD to gradually approach and address traumatic memories, feelings and situations. By confronting these challenges directly, you may see PTSD symptoms begin to decrease.
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) helps individuals with a diagnosis of PTSD to identify how traumatic experiences have affected their thinking, to evaluate those thoughts, and to change them. Through CPT, you may develop more healthy and balanced beliefs about yourself, others and the world.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured, time-limited therapy that can help individuals who experience depression, anxiety, substance use disorders or other mental health difficulties. This treatment can help you develop balanced and helpful thoughts about yourself, others and the future. CBT can help you modify your thought patterns to change negative moods and behaviors.
• Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) is a therapy that can help individuals who experience depression focus on identifying and evaluating relationship issues that may contribute to their depression. IPT can also help you build social skills to deal with problems in your relationships and improve your overall quality of life.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps individuals overcome their emotional pain by promoting positive actions and choices that align with their values. Through this therapy, you may improve your ability to recognize and achieve what truly matters most to you in life.
• Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) helps individuals with substance use disorders focus on personal motivations for change. In this therapy, you’ll look at the reasons behind your desire to make a change and the potential benefits of that change.
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) helps individuals address stress and strong emotions, learn mindfulness and distress tolerance, and develop and practice new interpersonal skills.

Coping and Support

For some people, the experience of military sexual trauma (MST) may continue to affect them in significant ways, even many years later. If you are feeling increased stress or anxiety related to MST, the coping ideas on this page may help.  

Many coping and support resources are also available in Beyond MST. Beyond MST is a free, secure and private self-help mobile app created specifically to support the health and well-being of survivors of MST. Any personal information entered in the app is not shared with anyone, including VA.

Coping During Especially Difficult Times

Survivors of trauma may experience particularly distressing emotions at certain times or because of current events. For example, public discussion and media coverage related to sexual assault, harassment, physical violence and other issues may bring up painful memories and feelings for MST survivors. Increasingly, many Veterans and Service members have been speaking out about their experiences. Discussion and sharing about the reality of these experiences is important; and, it is often still emotionally painful to hear. 

Harassment and discrimination related to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender can also affect healing from MST. For some survivors, learning about violence and harassment motivated by sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia or other hatred can lead to distressing thoughts like, “It could have been me,” or images of their own unwanted sexual experiences or experiences of harassment or discrimination.

The multiple impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic can also be especially difficult for those who have experienced MST or other forms of trauma.

During stressful times, you may notice more sudden, strong emotions; trouble concentrating; poor sleep or nightmares; feeling helpless, anxious, or depressed; or other changes. If you are feeling increased distress, please take your reactions seriously.

Here are some coping strategies that may help:

• Remind yourself it is okay to feel upset. Your reactions are normal, and it does not mean there is something wrong with you or you’ve had a setback in your healing.
• Do what works for you. Try safe, healthy things that have helped you cope during difficult times in the past. Know that you may need to try more than one thing, and it may take more energy or effort than usual.
• Pace yourself. If you notice fatigue, irritability, poor focus, more anxiety or other signs you may be feeling stressed or overwhelmed, try to slow down, simplify or take a break.
• Connect with your communities. Connect with supportive people in your life and community. Even if you do not tell others about your own experiences, it can still help to connect with them. Some people may also choose to engage in local advocacy efforts or provide support to others with similar experiences.
• Limit exposure to media. Notice how the news or social media posts are affecting you, and if need be, limit how much you look at them. You can also focus on reading stories that give you hope or make you feel supported or less alone.
• Inspire yourself. Recalling past successes can be an effective way of reminding yourself of your strength. It may also help to view inspiring quotes or stories about others who have experienced similar difficulties, like those available on the VA websites Make the Connection and AboutFace.

Other General Coping Strategies

• Be kind to yourself. Practice being compassionate toward yourself, like how you might treat a friend or loved one. One way to do this is to ask yourself what gives you joy or meaning, and to do more of those activities.
• Try breathing, relaxation and meditation activities. Mindful breathing, guided imagery and meditation can reduce stress, improve sleep, reduce pain, generate confidence and enhance focus. VA’s Whole Health Library offers many educational materials and relaxation exercises.
• Maintain healthy habits as much as you can. As stress increases, your healthy habits may understandably decrease. It may take more effort to eat healthy meals, avoid substance misuse, prioritize exercise and get some sunlight each day, but these actions can be especially important during stressful times.
• Get rest. Strive for seven or more hours of sleep each night. Less sleep than that can make you tired and less able to manage stress.
• Increase mindful movement. Physical activity is vital for stress reduction. It doesn’t have to be extreme activity, either. Activities that help you mindfully reconnect to your body in a safe way, like yoga and tai chi, may help you feel particularly strong and steady.
• Get support. Spend time with people whose company you enjoy. You do not need tell them you’re feeling distressed, or about your MST experience, but you can if it helps. You can also just say, “I’m having a rough time right now,” without sharing details if that feels right. Or, you can spend time with someone without telling them how you are doing.
• Remind yourself healing is a journey. You will have ups and downs, and there will be some times that are harder than others. Please remember that over time, you can move forward.

Military sexual trauma (MST) is a term used by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to describe sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that happens while the victim is in the military. MST can happen to both men and women, but female service members are at higher risk of MST. MST can also lead to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse. Studies show that 1 in 4 or 5 women in the military experiences MST.

MST can happen during war, peace, or training. It can happen between people of the same sex or different sexes. If you’ve experienced MST, you may feel fear, shame, anger, embarrassment, or guilt. You may have trouble trusting people. You may even have physical symptoms like headaches, diarrhea, chronic fatigue, or gynecological problems.

When you’re actively serving, it can be difficult to report or talk about MST. The Department of Defense (DoD) has two ways for you to report assault if you are on active duty:

• Restricted reporting lets you confidentially report the assault to someone and get medical treatment and counseling, but it won’t trigger an actual investigation. This is intended to make it easier to report an assault and to give you time to heal mentally and physically. You can decide later if you want the military to begin a criminal investigation.
• Unrestricted reporting means that you will still receive medical treatment and counseling, but the assault will be reported through your chain of command. It will trigger an investigation.

If you have been assaulted or are unsure about what to do, you can call a confidential helpline that works specifically with the DoD community: the Safe Helpline. Call 877-995-5247, or visit safehelpline.org.

If you have experienced MST, you can also contact your nearest VA facility to speak with the MST coordinator. VA facilities have health care providers who are trained to treat the effects of MST. Many have specialized outpatient mental health services focusing on sexual trauma.

You may also be able to get compensation from the military to help with treatment.

Trauma can happen after you experience an event or events that hurt you physically or emotionally. Trauma can have lasting effects on your mental, physical, and emotional health. Experiencing abuse or other trauma puts people at risk of developing mental health conditions, such as:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Misusing alcohol or drugs
• Borderline personality disorder

Abuse may have happened during childhood or as an adult. It can be emotional, verbal, physical, or sexual. Trauma can include dangerous, frightening, or extremely stressful situations or events, such as sexual assault, war, an accident or natural disaster, the sudden or violent death of a close loved one, or a serious physical health problem.

The long-term effects of abuse or trauma can include:

• Severe anxiety, stress, or fear
• Abuse of alcohol or drugs
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Self-injury
• Suicide

If you were or are in the military, you may have experienced or witnessed a life-threatening event. You may have been on missions that exposed you to traumatic combat-related experiences, such as incoming fire, explosive devices, or dead bodies. Other military experiences, like military sexual trauma, can also affect mental health.

About 1 in 4 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has been diagnosed with a mental health condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Left untreated, mental health issues can cause long-term problems for you, your family, and your community. Reach out to someone for help if you’re experiencing the signs of a mental health condition.

It can be difficult to tell whether or how much your mental health is affected by past abuse or trauma. Sometimes the symptoms of trauma or abuse don’t start to affect your life for many months or years after the event took place. If you have any of the following symptoms, talk to your doctor or nurse or reach out for help:

• Anxiety
• Trouble sleeping
• Anger
• Depression
• Changes in mood or appetite
• Abusing drugs or alcohol

The sooner you can get professional help for abuse or trauma, the sooner you can begin to get better. If you have been physically hurt, visit a hospital or doctor right away. You may also need to call the police. The doctor and the police can help document what has happened to you. This documentation may be important later if you decide to press charges against someone who attacked you.

If you are experiencing changes in how you think, feel, or behave that are interfering with your ability to work or live your life normally, reach out to a mental health professional. Find a mental health professional near you. A mental health professional can help make sense of any symptoms you may be having that are related to your abuse or trauma. The professional can help you find the best kinds of treatment to help manage symptoms of the abuse or trauma.

If you’re in immediate danger, call 911.

You can also call helplines to talk about what happened to you or get guidance about what to do:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline
  Phone Number: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
• National Sexual Assault Hotline
  Phone Number: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
• Safe Helpline (for members of the military)
  Phone Number: 1-877-995-5247

Abuse or trauma you have suffered is not your fault. You can get better with treatment.

Symptoms caused by abuse or trauma can usually be treated with different types of talk therapy, medicine, or both. Therapy with a professional counselor can help you work through your feelings and learn healthy ways to cope. Medicines might include antidepressants or anti-anxiety medicine.

Today, complementary mind and body therapies, such as mindfulness and yoga, may be offered along with traditional treatments such as medicines and therapy.