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After veterans complete their service, it can be a challenge to adjust during their transition into everyday life. Some may live with combat-related PTSD symptoms. Some may have experienced lasting combat-related physical and mental injury. While combat is a risk servicemembers knowingly take when enlisting, there are some harms that no servicemember should sustain in the line of duty. Sexual assault experienced while serving can have lifelong mental, physical, and emotional ramifications. As these veteran survivors transition out of the armed forces and into civilian workplaces, we wanted to take the time to write about how employers can show support to veteran colleagues living with military sexual trauma.
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is the trauma resulting from sexual violence servicemembers experienced during their time in the military. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs created a Military Sexual Trauma Fact Sheet for current and former servicemembers. It outlines several examples of sexual contact that can be traumatic and are not permissible by any service member, including:
-Being pressured into sexual activities (such as with threats of negative treatment if you refuse to cooperate or promises of better treatment in exchange for sex)
-Sexual contact or activities without your consent, including when you were asleep or intoxicated
-Being overpowered or physically forces 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 (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs 2025)
They crucially note to current and former members that, “The identity or characteristics of the perpetrator, whether you were on or off duty at the time, and whether you were on or off base at the time do not matter.”
Sexual assault is a notoriously underreported crime across sectors, including the armed forces. The National Center for PTSD found in 2018 that, “6.2% of active-duty women and 0.7% of active-duty men surveyed had experienced sexual assault in the previous year, and 24.2% of active-duty women and 6.3% of active-duty men surveyed had experienced sexual harassment in the previous year.” However, some research has indicated that organizations like the Department of Defense are dramatically underestimating the number of assault and harassment cases in their estimations. We also know that sexual trauma can manifest into lasting, and sometimes fatal, consequences. For example, survivors of MST are up to three times more likely to be diagnosed with alcohol abuse disorders, inflict nonsuicidal self-injury, and attempt suicide.
Avoiding these outcomes and eliminating this trauma requires a multi-faceted approach from all parts of our communities. As workplaces, we have the power to do our part to make veteran colleagues who are survivors of MST feel less alone and gain access to the resources they need to heal. For Military Appreciation Month, we have laid out a few of our tips for the role that employers can play to support these survivors.
Offer Flexible Workplace Accommodations
There should be no greater workplace priority than ensuring their employees’ physical and mental welfare. Sometimes, this requires accommodation like allowing more flexible schedules, leave options, or remote work opportunities so that survivors can make therapist appointments, medical appointments, or limit physical interactions. It’s also worth noting that the Americans with Disabilities Act lays out that veterans must be provided reasonable accommodations for service-related disabilities including PTSD. We encourage workplaces to look into the Job Accommodation Network’s article on “Accommodating Service Members and Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).”
Uplift Local Sexual Assault Programs and Rape Crisis Centers
One way to show support to survivors on staff, veteran and non-veteran alike, is to uplift local sexual assault programs and rape crisis centers. Ensure staff are aware of these programs and centers (see RALIANCE’s Directory of Rape Crisis Centers) and advocate for increased funding to keep these resources alive. Having access to counselors, legal aids, advocates, and other staff well-versed in sexual violence and sexual trauma is vital to survivor healing and benefits the community as a whole.
Encourage EAPs to Take Free Courses with PsychArmor
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are excellent resources for employees at all levels within an organization. Many EAPs have a mental health component within them but may not necessarily be well-versed in MST. We would encourage employers to promote PsychArmor’s free online courses to their mental health professionals (particularly their course on MST) so that they can better apply their services to employees living with MST and other service-related traumas.
Forge Relationships with Veteran Networks
Employers should not expect that they need to be experts in MST or other issues faced by veterans. However, it would be beneficial to maintain a contact list of those who are. We recommend having the contact information of local veteran organizations on file and reaching out to them to learn about any potential collaborative opportunities. We also recommend the following organizations to learn from and partner with:
–Service Women’s Action Network
–SPARTA Pride (for trans veterans)
More resources and information can be found on the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s “Military Sexual Trauma Resource List.”
Have a RALIANCE Policy Review
One of the best things an employer can do is to convey to survivors on staff that there is zero-tolerance for any form of workplace sexual harm. With a decade of collaborating with clients, we have reviewed existing policies, advanced sexual misconduct processes and procedures, and helped to create environments that are safer and more respectful to all employees. We would love to have the opportunity to collaborate with any employer interested in making their workspaces more understanding to survivors on staff and safer from any additional sexual harm.
MST is a complicated issue, but we truly believe that workplaces everywhere have a part to play in making their communities safer for these survivors. This Military Appreciation Month, we affirm our commitment to making all survivors with MST feel valued, seen, and respected.
RALIANCE is a trusted adviser for organizations committed to building cultures that are safe, equitable, and respectful. RALIANCE offers unparalleled expertise in serving survivors of sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse which drives our mission to help organizations across sectors create inclusive environments for all. For more information, please visit www.RALIANCE.org.
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