Prevalence of Military Sexual Trauma among Military Personnel

Military sexual trauma (MST) is psychological trauma resulting from physical assault, battery, or harassment of a sexual nature that is experienced by a service member during their military training or service.¹ A meta-analysis revealed that 15.7% of active-duty military personnel and veterans in the United States experienced MST (3.9% of men, 38.4% of women).² However, many trauma victims choose not to disclose their experience because of the military’s reporting procedures, stigma of being perceived as weak, and the possibility of reprisal from offenders.³ As a result, the prevalence of MST is likely to be underreported.

MST is linked to negative mental and physical health effects. People with MST have higher rates of depression, alcohol addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide.⁴ While MST is more common in women than in men, sexual minorities are at even higher risk.³ Prior research has shown that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) military personnel had higher rates of lifetime physical and sexual assault and discrimination compared to non-LGBTQ military personnel.⁵ One country in Southeast Asia has no official reports of any cases of MST, including among people who identify as LGBTQ. This may be, in part, due to the presence of laws that, among other things, subject LGBTQ people in the country to the possibility of fines, whipping, and imprisonment of up to 20 years.

A health researcher decided to conduct a study to determine the prevalence of MST in the country’s military, along with its physical and mental health impact, with a focus on LGBTQ military personnel. The researcher hoped that the study might create awareness of MST in the country and reasoned that that the findings would guide development of sexual and gender discrimination prevention programs and empower MST victims to seek help.

The researchers sought and received approval from the military to conduct the research on the condition that military leadership approve the presentation of study findings in advance of dissemination. A cross-sectional study was conducted via an anonymous, self-administered English-language online questionnaire (Google form) using a universal sampling method to recruit participants who were current military personnel. Since MST is more common in young and enlisted military members, those aged 18-40 years with any rank below that of a commissioned officer were invited to participate in the study.

All participants were provided a study information sheet and completed an electronic informed consent form before completing the online questionnaire, which included questions and scales to assess demographic information, MST, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The researchers aimed to complete the study within 6 months with a targeted sample size of 380 and obtained ethical approval from their university research ethics committee. The military approved dissemination of the questionnaire via email to all eligible military personnel via the internal mailing list.

Study data revealed a high prevalence of MST (26% of the study population). In addition, the findings showed an association between MST and PTSD symptoms among those affected, and a subanalysis found that LGBTQ military personnel reported a higher rate of self-harm in the past year. After the findings were published, the research team and their institution received threats and complaints from local politicians and religious groups, claiming the study was pointless and had smeared the name of the military.

The politicians criticized the study as biased due to the sampling method used, while some accused the scientists of advocating for LGBTQ rights. The lead researcher also faced criticism from his colleagues on social media and in academic conferences, blaming him for damaging their academic and reputations and that of the institution.