.png){kind=small}
|
Factors Influencing Reporting and Help-Seeking After Military Sexual Trauma
Kevin Ortiz Diaz, Doctoral Candidate,
Sexual violence during military service can have lasting mental, physical, and social consequences, yet many survivors never report their experiences or seek care. Although the U.S. Department of Defense receives thousands of sexual assault reports each year, its estimates suggest that the actual number of assaults may be several times higher. Understanding why service members remain silent is essential to creating reporting systems and support services they can trust. To identify the factors shaping these decisions, our research team conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines. We searched six major databases and screened 5,871 articles published after 2012. Twenty-eight studies met the final inclusion criteria, representing an estimated 35,711 participants. We organized the findings into six categories of barriers -stigma-based, gender-based, knowledge-based, logistical, trust-based, and identity-based- and three categories of facilitators: systemic, cultural, and personal. Stigma was the most consistent obstacle. Survivors feared being blamed, disbelieved, embarrassed, or perceived as weak or incompetent. Many also worried that disclosure could damage their careers or disrupt unit cohesion. These concerns were reinforced by military norms that emphasize toughness, dominance, emotional control, and putting the mission first. Distrust further discouraged reporting. Service members questioned whether their confidentiality would be protected, whether leaders would take their experiences seriously, and whether perpetrators -especially those of higher rank- would be held accountable. Some feared retaliation or threats to their careers and safety. Gender shaped these barriers in distinct ways. Women often felt pressure to prove that they belonged in a male-dominated institution and feared that reporting would reinforce stereotypes about women being weak. Men confronted a culture that frequently fails to recognize them as possible victims. Some feared that disclosure would challenge their masculinity or lead others to question their sexual orientation. Other barriers included uncertainty about what constituted assault, limited knowledge of available resources, difficulty arranging transportation or childcare, deployment-related constraints, and lack of access to a preferred or trusted disclosure recipient. The review also identified conditions that can make reporting and help-seeking more likely. Trauma-informed care, routine screening, confidential and survivor-centered options, referrals from healthcare professionals, supportive leaders and peers, safe and inclusive treatment spaces, and encouragement from family and friends can all help. However, only eleven studies directly addressed facilitators, leaving the evidence far better at identifying problems than solutions. Important gaps remain, particularly for men, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+ service members. Future research must identify the supports these populations need to report and seek care.
|
.jpg)
