Military Sexual Trauma Survivor Helps Others Overcome Abuse

Some 3,191 sexual assaults were reported in the military last year but due to the historically underreported nature of such crimes, the true incidence of sexual assault likely approaches 19,000, according to a Defense Department estimate. In 2010, the military received 3,158 reports of sexual assault, 1,781 of which involved Army personnel, according to information from the Army.

Although it's unclear whether more incidents occurred or more simply were reported, the trend also was seen at military academies. In December, the Pentagon said 65 sexual assaults were reported at the academies during the 2010-2011 academic year, the highest total on record going back to 2004. Like their civilian counterparts, veterans who experience military sexual trauma can suffer from an array of resultant problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

A recent study published by the Jacob's Institute of Women's Health at George Washington University found that 31 percent of female veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from PTSD had experienced military sexual trauma.