SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS IN US MILITARY CRITICIZE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Washington, 12 Ramadan 1434/20 July 2013 (MINA) – Several victims of sexual assault in the military told a House committee on Friday that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) is not providing adequate care to victims of sexual assault in the military.
Tara Johnson, who endured sexual assault in the military on numerous occasions, sought treatment from the VA but often was not asked if she had suffered military sexual trauma (MST) when being diagnosed, the KMBZ Radio quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.
VA’s assistant deputy undersecretary Dr. Rajiv Jain believes that the organization has not done enough in this regard.
“As much as we have done over the last few years, there are significant gaps, that we need to address,” Jain said.
And the NBC News reported that all four witnesses testified that they had difficulty finding adequate and compassionate health care, and that their interactions with VA employees supposedly dedicated to coordinating services for sexual assault victims were sporadic at best.
Also, much of the VA’s effort to treat the victims has fallen short, frustrating and possibly endangering vulnerable veterans, the VA Inspector General and a panel of victims told the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Friday.
Meanwhile, Stars and Stripes reported that an investigation by an inspector general showed that VA travel voucher policies make receiving care difficult for most victims.
As Victoria Sanders, an Army veteran and registered nurse who was raped 38 years ago at age 20, VA treatment for her assault-related PTSD led to being “re-traumatized on many occasions”.
In 2012, of the 1.2 million men on active duty, 13,900 endured sexual assault while 12,100 of the 203,000 women in uniform experienced the same crime.
A report by Defense Department in May showed the number of sexual assaults occurred last year in the US military was 26,000, compared to 19,000 in fiscal year 2011.
The report found that 62 percent of those who report sexual abuse in the military are faced with some sort of retaliation for reporting their cases.
Eighty cases of sexual assault were reported by cadets and midshipmen during the last academic year, up from 65 the previous year, according to the same report.
Pentagon statistics indicate the problem of sexual assault has grown sharply in recent years, but military leaders and some politicians are deeply split over whether the trend means that radical changes are needed in the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Each year, the Air Force receives nearly 700 “unrestricted” reports leading to investigations of sexual assault.
According to a new study, US failure to deal with sexual assaults in the military costs the country billions of dollars annually. (T/P09/E1).
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).
