Photo Credit: Government of Canada
Esprit de Corps Magazine May 2019 // Volume 26 Issue 4
Let's Talk About Women in the Military – Column 3
by Military Woman
Thank you for your feedback about the column. We have enough questions coming in from women and men, in uniform and out, that we could be doing a weekly column of "Let's talk"!
You asked:
What exactly is "MST"?
We answered:
Before you run off scared by the topic, stay with me for a minute. At the very least, let's clear up some myths about Military Sexual Trauma or “MST.”
MST is not a "women's issue," it's a people issue. Men can and have been sexually assaulted and raped. Women can and have been charged as sexual assault perpetrators. Stats, although rare, suggest a particularly high risk for MST for members of the LGBTQ and Indigenous community regardless of sex or gender.
MST is not a “diagnosed medical condition,” it's a medical risk factor. Some people experience MST and do not develop subsequent medical conditions and others do. Unfortunately, MST compared to other sources of trauma exposure including combat trauma exposure is often listed as the highest risk trauma exposure to later develop physical and mental conditions such as chronic pain, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. It is these subsequent medical conditions that once diagnosed result in medical employment limitations and/or medical category changes and in some cases release.
Why is MST different than other sexual assaults? Many MST impacted people describe a second trauma, or what happened to them AFTER the initiating sexual related traumatic event, as being equal if not more traumatizing to endure and counterproductive to healing.
There are also many civilian stories about negative re-traumatizing secondary experiences with medical, police, and the judicial systemic to sexual assault complaints. However, a military MST impacted person experiences all the above that a civilian would and more due to the military workplace culture and ethos.
Many with MST identify a whistleblower type of backlash or chilly workplace climate after reporting (or not reporting) a military related sexual incident. The institutional response to the complaint, even when overtly initially supportive, often is still experienced as "death by a thousand paper cuts” from events happening covertly. It’s thought that it is the chronic stress and ongoing sense of "moral injustice" that can be a significant source of what is making people sick after military sexual trauma related events.
Another potential source of secondary wounding trauma with MST is "sanctuary trauma". Like the assumed safety with a doctor, padre, or family member, military members share a sacred bond of implicit trust with each other and their chain of command.
MST shatters that bond.
Many MST victims describe their experience as analogous to incest (Maclean's Magazine 1998). Lawyers from the Department of Veterans Affairs Canada agree that for many MST impacted soldiers its more devastating an experience then if it had happened on civvy street because "the military was their family".
Given the common society usage of the term "MST" it might surprise you to know there is still controversy in Canada over its official use or definition. The U.S. Veterans Affairs department has no such conflict and defines MST as any "psychological trauma, which in the judgment of a mental health professional, resulted from a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment which occurred while the military member/veteran was serving on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training".
Operationally effective units must trust each other. Sexual assaults from within the profession of arms are soul crushing.
MST fractures the trust required in the institution. Simply stated, we all lose.
In 2016, a Statistics Canada Survey found that almost 1 in 3 women and 1 in 25 men were sexually assaulted during their military service. We can and we have to do better.
To learn more about MST google "SMRC" (Sexual Misconduct Resource Centre) or "VAC MST" or go to ItsJust700.com. If you have been impacted by MST, please consider calling the SMRC 24/7/365 at 1-844-750-1648 and/or joining the closed Itsjust700.com Facebook support group.
Update:
2021. ItsJust700.com website cites “since March 2021, It's Just 700© has ceased to exist. The activities, leadership, intent, vision, and information provided by any other groups not called It's Just 700 (or IJ700© for short) should be considered separate from the original version of the group It’s Just 700© (and its Founder).”
2022. As per Arbour Report Recommendation #12, the SMRC has officially changed its name in December to Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre (SMSRC). The SMSRC has also expanded its mandate to now also provide supports to Cadets, Junior Canadian Rangers, and family members over the age of 16. The SMSRC support line remains unchanged at 1-844-750-1648.
2024. The Canadian definition for MST continues to be discussed...
