Military sexual trauma: a silent syndrome

Abstract

This article examines an age-old problem-sexual assault-through the lens of its occurrence within the military culture. Specific cases as well as U.S. Department of Defense responses to better handle these issues are offered to educate psychiatric-mental health nurses of the potential differences in symptomatology and presentation of military sexual trauma (MST). This appears to be an increasing problem with the predicted cohort of returning veterans appearing both in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs system as well as in civilian locations, hospitals, community centers, and especially the workplace. It will be critical to develop training materials and pursue further research to identify this silent syndrome of MST to better meet the needs of our returning veterans.