How Do We Treat Women Veterans Better? Start Listening

In honor of Veterans Day, LAist's daily news program AirTalk, which airs on 89.3 FM, has highlighted a handful of issues within the veteran community. On Friday, guest host Julia Paskin spoke with a panel of expert guests about the biggest challenges facing veterans who are women.

Women can feel isolated

Women make up about 17% of the active duty force in the military and only about 10% of veterans, according to the Department of Defense. That can be an isolating experience that extends to the transition into civilian life.

"I've talked with women who have to constantly defend their veteran status when they get out of the military," said Sonner Kehrt, a veteran and investigative reporter for nonprofit newsroom The War Horse. "Being front and center as a woman who served can be sort of a unique experience."

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Sexual assault has gotten worse

Reports of sexual assault cases have consistently gone up for more than a decade. More than 8% of women reported incidents in 2021, according to data presented by the DoD in April. And The Military Times reported that surveys show more people are choosing not to report incidents.

The Department of Defense released its Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military back in April.

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The U.S. Department of Defense

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Incidents of sexual trauma can affect physical, mental and emotional health, but bias and retaliation can prevent women from getting the help they need.

Mickiela Montoya, an Army combat veteran who works with the VA's Outreach and Community Relations in Los Angeles, said anyone who's experienced military sexual trauma can go to the VA anytime.

"There's an MST coordinator at each VA facility, and that's something that a lot of veterans may not know," Montoya said. "They may think that maybe they're not VA healthcare eligible, but none of that matters when it comes to military sexual trauma."

Recognition

"When you think of a veteran, you don't think of somebody who looks like me," said Allison Jaslow, CEO of the nonprofit Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

And that is one of the biggest barriers in getting care and support, she added.

Kehrt said women have effectively been serving in the military since the Revolutionary War and even in combat roles, although that wasn't officially allowed until 2015. The lack of recognition has had consequences.

"Their service was not recognized through awards at the same rate," she said. "Combat service can help you in your promotions and then sort of later on, getting care, whether you were in combat is a factor that comes into play."

Time to start listening

Even the agency that's supposed to support these women the most has been slow to change. Jaslow said one of her proudest moments is getting the VA to change its motto. It used to be "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and his widow and his orphan." It now reads, "To fulfill President Lincoln's promise to care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors."

That change happened just earlier this year.

Being heard and recognized can go a long way, Jaslow said.

Listen to the full conversation