Why the UK must recognise military sexual trauma

When David* was just 19 years old, he was raped while serving in the Royal Navy, in a place where he should have been safe.

It took decades for him to tell anyone what happened to him. He was terrified and traumatised. So when the time came and he found the courage to speak up, he needed to share his experience with someone who would listen, and who would believe him. That’s what we do at Forward Assist, a veterans charity that I founded in 2013. Our remit is to support all veterans who are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.

I’m a veteran myself. I served in the Marines, before leaving to become a social worker, probation officer, and a Home Office adviser working on issues around addiction. Through my work, I kept meeting veterans who were struggling to transition into civilian life. That inspired me to develop a service that was shaped by the needs of veterans, so that the needs of those living with post-traumatic stress were met.

Our work supported people who had fought in combat. But increasingly, both male and female veterans were disclosing that they were survivors of military sexual trauma. Veterans like David, who needed someone to listen, and someone to say “I believe you.”

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is a serious and pervasive issue affecting both men and women in the armed forces. The term covers a range of offences – from sexual harassment, assault, or rape that occurs during military service. The impact can lead to significant psychological and emotional trauma for survivors and their family members.

And yet, despite the growing use of this term across the world, including in the US where it is estimated one in 50 servicemen and one in three servicewomen are survivors of MST, the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has failed to recognise the label.

It’s time for this to change.

Since launching, Forward Assist has won multiple awards and published numerous research papers covering everything from the sexual abuse of men and women in the armed forces, to the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ veterans and black and minority ethnic soldiers. Although based in the North East, we have a geographic footprint right across the UK.

Our work supporting victims and survivors of military sexual trauma has persuaded me that the UK’s armed forces must adopt the term and definition if it is going to meet the needs of those impacted by this form of traumatic violence.

Using the term MST is an important step forward in recognising how sexual abuse within the military is influenced by armed forces culture. It encapsulates the experience of sexual assault and harassment within a military context, where power dynamics, strict hierarchy, and a specific military culture of command and control all contribute contribute to the experience of trauma, differentiating it from civilian sexual violence.

MST is a term that victims and survivors can identify with. It recognises their circumstances and experiences, which in turn may encourage more service people to report abuse.

We know from our own research and the many conversations we have had with victims and survivors that far too many people never report sexual violence within the military due to a fear of retaliation. They are worried that speaking out could impact their career, or that they might not be believed. The term "MST" signals to survivors that their experiences are being taken seriously, providing validation and increasing trust in the system.

In making this change, the UK would be following the example of the US where the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has incorporated MST into its policies to acknowledge and address sexual assault and harassment within the military context. It would give the MoD an opportunity to craft specific policies and mental health resources that are tailored to military sexual trauma.

That's how I know that adopting the term Military Sexual Trauma (MST) would be a quantum leap forward for the MoD. It would ensure the experiences of sexual violence survivors in the military are both recognised and addressed in a timely manner.

When MST is recognised by the military and the government, it allows for real change. It provides a springboard from which we can push for the necessary reforms that ensure survivors and their families can access specialist victim support and legal advice, dedicated care pathways to sexual trauma specialists and robust safeguarding procedures that protect victim/survivors from retaliation.

It could lead to specialised training for medical and psychological professionals to better understand the nuances of military life – the nuances which we know can compound the trauma experienced by victims of sexual violence.

And it could help bring in specific policies that mean victims/survivors of sexual violence in the military get the long-term support they need, including mental health and trauma support services long after they leave the military. This could include MST-specific counselling through the NHS or specialised veteran programmes, modelled after the US VA’s MST programmes, which have yielded positive outcomes.

Ultimately, adopting the term MST and implementing meaningful reforms would mean men like David finally have their trauma recognised, and are no longer be left to struggle alone. The US has done it, now it’s time the UK follows suit.

*Names have been changed to protect identity