RENO, Nev. (KOLO) Head to the Veterans' Hospital in Reno and you'll notice green flags near the front entrance on Kirman Avenue. There are 961 that represent reported cases of military sexual trauma reported to a Sierra Nevada Care System Provider since 2005.
One of those to report being sexual assaulted during her time in the military is a woman named Stina. She says the assault happened July 4 in 1999 just before her Marine combat training was supposed to begin.
A fellow Marine offered to go on a walk with her. She says he raped her, and returned to the group of colleagues with a very different tale of events. From then on she was known as a WM.
“It is supposed to be women marines, but the slang term is, walking mattress. That was the reputation I had. I was reminded daily that I was just a walking mattress,” says Stina.
Like many women in the military, she did not report the sexual assault.
But she began to suffer the psychological effects.
She received an honorable discharge several months later, and says that led to years of self-destructive behavior such as addiction and bad relationships.
She eventually found help at the VA, but only after there was a change in policy, leading to veterans receiving free mental and medical health care related to military sexual trauma.
“That is them admitting they have an issue there. And I think it is great that they are doing what they can. And I think there are some Congresspeople trying to do more. And there are some limitations to it. Nonetheless, when they come to seek treatment here, we will do what we can to get them to where they need to be,” says Monique Foreman, the Military Sexual Coordinator at the Reno VA Hospital.
Foreman says typically military sexual trauma patients suffer from PTSD, in large part because they do not report the assault at the time of the attack.
Military scrutiny, a low chance of prosecution, and changes in the serviceman or woman's military path, which is taken out of their control, are just a couple reasons.
Patients are typically treated after service, sometimes decades after discharge. That's why Foreman is encouraging local veterans to contact the Military Sexual Trauma Program at the local VA Hospital in Reno. Veterans should call 786-7200 and ask for the Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator.
By Terri Russell |
Posted: Wed 4:53 PM, Apr 04, 2018 |
Updated: Wed 6:42 PM, Apr 04, 2018
One of those to report being sexual assaulted during her time in the military is a woman named Stina. She says the assault happened July 4 in 1999 just before her Marine combat training was supposed to begin.
A fellow Marine offered to go on a walk with her. She says he raped her, and returned to the group of colleagues with a very different tale of events. From then on she was known as a WM.
“It is supposed to be women marines, but the slang term is, walking mattress. That was the reputation I had. I was reminded daily that I was just a walking mattress,” says Stina.
Like many women in the military, she did not report the sexual assault.
But she began to suffer the psychological effects.
She received an honorable discharge several months later, and says that led to years of self-destructive behavior such as addiction and bad relationships.
She eventually found help at the VA, but only after there was a change in policy, leading to veterans receiving free mental and medical health care related to military sexual trauma.
“That is them admitting they have an issue there. And I think it is great that they are doing what they can. And I think there are some Congresspeople trying to do more. And there are some limitations to it. Nonetheless, when they come to seek treatment here, we will do what we can to get them to where they need to be,” says Monique Foreman, the Military Sexual Coordinator at the Reno VA Hospital.
Foreman says typically military sexual trauma patients suffer from PTSD, in large part because they do not report the assault at the time of the attack.
Military scrutiny, a low chance of prosecution, and changes in the serviceman or woman's military path, which is taken out of their control, are just a couple reasons.
Patients are typically treated after service, sometimes decades after discharge. That's why Foreman is encouraging local veterans to contact the Military Sexual Trauma Program at the local VA Hospital in Reno. Veterans should call 786-7200 and ask for the Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator.
By Terri Russell |
Posted: Wed 4:53 PM, Apr 04, 2018 |
Updated: Wed 6:42 PM, Apr 04, 2018
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