Female Vets Face Second Front Line at V.A. Doors

From the NY Times: Nearly a third of female veterans say they were sexually assaulted or raped while in the military, and 71 percent to 90 percent say they were sexually harassed by the men with whom they served.

So when they return seeking care at V.A. facilities, what will they encounter? Will they receive the equivalent quality of care as male veterans? Very likely- no.

The V.A. has acknowledged it "may have gaps" which means they they aren't actually acknowledging it. They may or they may not is the interpretation. Recently, the VA told Congresswomen Murray that "they just didn't have the money to implement a lot of the initiatives included in her proposed legislation to research the needs of female veterans."

Although, the V.A. was "absolutely committed to making (female veterans) feel welcome." The other analysis of this is, "as long as they don't ask us to be trained in military sexual trauma or don't ask us to not be a male oriented medical system."

There is a tremendous need for actual training on MST. A female vet goes into an exam room with a doctor who barks"take your clothes off." That is intimidating to a women with MST. Getting any genital exam is stressful for women with MST. Female vets are warned to not need a Urologist because they are usually men. The clinic will be filled with posters of male genitalia explaining the male reproductive system (Atlanta V.A.) Female veterans are challenged by clerks as to if they are "really" veterans" and forced to show their ID cards while men are not. (N.J. V.A.)

In another case, a female veteran goes into a room with no window coverings and is told, "take your shirt off for the exam." That is intimidating to a female with MST. Waiting in a clinic waiting room full of men is also difficult for women with MST. So, is there a need to educate medical providers and staff to be sensitive to severely traumatized female vets? You decide.

ANJYL