Every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted. Sexual assault is any sort of sexual activity between two or more people in which one of the people is involved against his or her will. Sexual assault happens to men, women, and children. The effects can range from emotional problems to depression and PTSD. Below find more information on this type of trauma and its effects.

• Sexual Assault against Females
• Men and Sexual Trauma
• Child Sexual Abuse

Sexual assault also occurs in the context of war in areas under attack and in refugee camps, and among military troops. “Military sexual trauma” or MST is the term used by the VA to refer to experiences of sexual assault or repeated, threatening acts of sexual harassment that occur during military service. Read more to understand and help with these widespread issues.

• Rape of Women in a War Zone
  During war, brutal crimes such as rape are often committed against civilian women.
• Military Sexual Trauma
  In both civilian and military settings, service members can experience a range of distressing unwanted sexual behaviors. These experiences happen to both women and men.

Get Help Following Sexual Assault

• National Sexual Assault Hotline* or call 1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline* or 1 800 799 SAFE (7233) or 1 800 787 3224 (TTY)
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center*. Projects on prevention and databases of local, state and regional experts.

For Veterans with a history of MST

• All VA care for physical and mental health conditions related to MST is free. (Service connection is not required.)
• Every VA Medical Center has a designated MST Coordinator who can help access MST services.
• More on getting MST help from VA.
• DoD Safe Helpline: 1 877 995 5247 or https://www.safehelpline.org* Live Chat.

An 11 year study tracks a group of Marines since they were recruits completing boot camp at Parris Island, SC in 1997. Analyses will examine their experiences in the military, particularly MST, and whether these experiences are associated with PTSD, suicide, health-risk behaviors, or other clinical outcomes.

 For Providers

Sexual Assault and Treatment

Sexual assault may be more likely to lead to PTSD than other types of traumatic events. A large scale study suggests that the rate of PTSD following sexual assault is higher than that for combat.

Our resources on sexual assault and recovery outline the best options for treating and supporting survivors of sexual assault. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), an evidence based PTSD treatment, was developed in work with female sexual assault victims.

• Learn more about how to provide CPT from the one hour PTSD 101 Cognitive Processing Therapy Course.
• Information on the general psychological effects of sexual assault and how it presents in a medical setting are covered in Sexual Trauma: Information for Women’s Medical Providers (targeted to gynecological providers).

In addition to women, at least 10% of men in our country have suffered from trauma as a result of sexual assault. Both women and men can experience MST during their military service. All Veterans seen at VA facilities are asked about experiences of sexual trauma because we know that any type of trauma can affect a person’s physical and mental health, even many years later. Learn more:

• Military Sexual Trauma: Issues in Caring for Veterans
• Military Sexual Trauma- PTSD 101 Course
  This online course defines sexual harassment and assault and provides prevalence rates for these events in the military.

Continuing Education
From the War Zone to the Home Front Series

This free educational series continues. Free CE/CMEs. All courses are archived online (started 2/23/2012). Register now.*

• 4/19: Clinical Practice Guidelines & Resources for PTSD treatment
• 4/26: Traumatic Brain Injury
• 5/3: Prolonged Exposure & Virtual Reality Therapy for PTSD

Every Thursday 11:30 am-12:30 pm ET.
Series continues through May and covers MST.

Presented by the National Center for PTSD in collaboration with the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program.*

Find more PTSD continuing education opportunities.

Prescribing Patterns at VA

Two articles in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry highlight ongoing work at the Center to expand the use of quality evidence-based PTSD treatment.

• Declining Benzodiazepine Use in Veterans with PTSD (PDF)
• Prescribing Trends in Veterans with PTSD (PDF)

For VA Providers

VA PTSD Case Consultation Presentation Series

3rd Tuesday of the month, 2 – 3 pm EST
4/17: Dr. Kathleen Chard on Different Models of CPT and when to Best Use Them.
Based on questions posed to the VA PTSD Consultation Program.
Email [email protected] to sign up.

MST Resources

• VA MST Resource site http://vaww.mst.va.gov
• Find MST training for VA providers including new mandatory MST training for mental health and primary care providers.

PTSD in the News

Military Sexual Trauma

• The New York Times brings attention to MST among male Veterans. Read more*
• One MST survivor’s recovery process. Read more*

Link Between PTSD and Violent Behavior is Weak: That is what research suggests according to a recent Washington Post article. Read more*

Please encourage others to subscribe to the PTSD Monthly Update!