Military sexual trauma is recognized by the VA as a significant contributor to veteran mental health conditions — and one of the most underreported and undertreated wounds of service. Specialized, confidential care is available.
What Is Military Sexual Trauma?
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) refers to sexual assault or repeated sexual harassment that occurred during military service. MST is a VA-defined term that encompasses a range of experiences — from sexual assault by a fellow service member or officer to repeated, unwanted sexual contact or harassment within a military environment. The VA screens all veterans for MST at their initial VA health care visit and provides care for MST-related conditions.
The Specific Wounds of MST
MST produces trauma with features that distinguish it from civilian sexual trauma. The perpetrator is frequently a fellow service member — someone on whom the survivor depended for safety and operational effectiveness. The institutional context — military chain of command, the requirement to continue serving alongside the perpetrator, the well-documented under-reporting rate within military justice systems — compounds the trauma with betrayal, powerlessness, and institutional abandonment. These features require a clinician who understands both the clinical presentation of sexual trauma and the specific institutional context in which MST occurs.
ImTT for MST
Image Transformation Therapy is particularly appropriate for MST because it works with traumatic imagery without requiring detailed verbal narration of the assault. For many MST survivors, the requirement to describe the assault in detail is itself a significant barrier to treatment. ImTT offers a pathway to processing that does not require that disclosure. Dr. Flores provides specialized, confidential ImTT treatment for MST via PSYPACT telehealth, with full awareness of the institutional context in which the trauma occurred.
VA Benefits and MST Treatment
The VA provides free mental health treatment for conditions related to MST — regardless of the veteranu2019s service-connected disability rating. Veterans do not need to have reported the MST during service to be eligible for MST-related care. Contact your VA medical centeru2019s MST coordinator for information. Community care options may also be available.
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