San Francisco VA Health Care System

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month: You're Not Alone

Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is an annual campaign in April to raise public awareness and understanding about sexual assault. In its annual SAAM campaign, VA focuses on sexual assault and sexual harassment that occurs during military service — also known as “military sexual trauma,” or MST. This year, VA’s national theme for SAAM awareness is: “Speaking up, moving forward: VA supports survivors of military sexual trauma.”

This theme has sparked comments from VA MST Coordinators, including Melica Wiley, a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist at the Texas Valley Coastal Bend VA Health Care System. She believes survivors of MST remain silent mainly “out of fear and/or stigmas associated with sexual assault…. However, due to the recent media coverage and the #MeToo movement, many survivors for the first time in their lives felt safe enough to speak up.” Wiley adds: “I particularly think of our male and female MST survivors, who not only spoke up for the first time, but were supported completely by VA.”

Both women and men can experience sexual harassment or sexual assault during their military service. VA refers to these experiences as military sexual trauma, or MST. Sadly, about 1 in 4 women and 1 in 100 men seen for VA health care report a history of military sexual trauma when screened by a VA provider. Although the percentage among women is higher, more than 40 percent of the Veterans seen in VA who disclose MST are men.

MST also occurs any time a survivor isn’t able to give consent, such as while intoxicated or drugged, or when they are pressured into giving consent in exchange for promises of favorable duties or promotion, or threats of harm to their career. The perpetrator needs to be in the military for it to be considered MST.

Veterans who have experienced MST have access to a wide range of services at the San Francisco VA Health Care System (SFVAHCS), to assist in their recovery. SFVAHCS’s MST coordinator is Danette Barnett, MSW, (415) 221-4810, ext. 2-6038. “Veterans who experienced military sexual trauma are not alone,” says Danette Veterans may be eligible for free MST-related care even if they are not eligible for other VA services. No documentation of MST experiences is required. SFVAHCS has providers knowledgeable about treatment for the after-effects of MST. We offer specialized outpatient mental health services focusing on sexual trauma and each Community-based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) has a designated MST coordinator. Veterans are welcome to call their clinic and ask to speak with the appropriate staff person listed below:

Clearlake VA Clinic - (707) 995 -7200, Barbara Harrold, LMFT
Downtown VA Clinic - (415) 281-5100, Alison May, MD
Eureka VA Clinic - (707) 269-2827, Forest Harpham, LCSW
San Bruno VA Clinic - (650) 615-6030, Anne French, LCSW
Santa Rosa VA Clinic - (707) 569-2502, Cathy Read, LCSW
Ukiah VA Clinic - (707) 468-7700, Cheri Lynn Heffel, NP

For more information, Veterans can speak with a VA health care provider or contact the SFVAHCS MST coordinator, Danette Barnett, MSW, (415) 221-4810, ext. 2-6038. Veterans can also learn more about VA’s military sexual trauma-related services online at  https://www.sanfrancisco.va.gov/services/MST.asp