Increasing understanding of the barriers to military sexual trauma-related reporting and treatment seeking in Canada

Abstract

LAY SUMMARY Military sexual trauma (MST) can cause many mental health problems, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Yet many people who experienced MST do not report what happened to them, do not seek mental health treatment, or drop out of treatment. Through experiences in an MST-specific community of practice, the authors heard many reasons why people do not report or do not seek treatment, including 1) feeling betrayed by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and other military members, 2) not understanding what treatments are available, and 3) not knowing exactly what MST means. Knowing why people do not report MST or seek mental health treatment can help the CAF and treatment providers make changes to support people who experienced MST.