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House Bill Would Allow Veterans who were Raped to Receive PTSD Benefits
Monday, March 14, 2011

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not only a result of combat experience, but also rape, argues U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine). That’s why the congresswoman wants the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover PTSD claims by military personnel who have been sexually assaulted.

Under legislation introduced by Pingree, the VA would pay for treatment and disability benefits for soldiers suffering from rape-related PTSD. Such claims would have to be accepted by the VA if the individual provides a written statement about their assault and a mental health professional’s diagnosis.

The VA could reject the claims only if it presents “clear and convincing evidence to the contrary” that the PTSD was caused by a rape during a person’s service.

At least 3,000 cases of sexual assault occurred last year in the military—a figure that likely is much lower than the true total, because of the tendency of women to not report incidents of rape.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

Congresswoman Wants Rape Treated as PTSD (by Bryant Jordan, Military.com)

Bill Would Help Veterans Who Suffered Sexual Assault During Their Service (Representative Chellie Pingree)

Rape-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (National Center for Victims of Crime)

Comments

ted - 11/17/2011 11:46:55 PM
to dustin thrower: and anyone else that feels this way. when i was sexually assaulted in the military, i went to my chain of command almost immediately, my attacker admitted to the act. what happened next? nothing, no discipline, no anything, life went on as usual, well i got treated like a rat by my fellow soldiers, but there was nothing done to him, and i did not get any counselling or treatment. i had to continue to serve with him like nothing was wrong and nothing happened. months later while at another duty station i began to have nightmares of the incident, i went forward again to the next chain of command, sure they told me that they would help me and get me help in dealing with it, but that was the last i heard about the situation. after about another six months, when my drinking got way out of hand, and i was facing discipline actions from it, i was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and shortly after had to be locked up for suicide. this led me to being separated with the diagnosis of a personality disorder, common practice for victims of sexual assault and rape. now if this had happened in the civilian side my attacker would have gone to jail, i would have been afforded some sort of mental health treatment, and the lasting effects of the assault would have been less then they have been. "the good men and women serving our country are still just men and women and this is one of those things people like to take advantage of at the cost of others." who is taking advantage of who? arent the victims taken advantage of first?

CAV Trooper - 3/26/2011 9:06:20 PM
It would be nice if military fixed the system first. It is not easy to just sit down over coffee and talk about "how the rape went last night." The line between rape and consent is blurred by drugs, alcohol and lack of command emphasis. To me, the lack of command emphasis is the most damaging. Commanders don't want to think about a sexual assault occurring on their watch. I have witnessed Serious Incident Report (SIR) after SIR swept under the rug or back channeled through the Chaplain or Community Counseling Center. Sometimes it does take an "act of Congress" to get the chain of command to take care of their own. The last thing a commander wants on a briefing slide is a SIR. To have a fair chance of effective treatment there should be closure on the part of the victim- prosecution of the perpetrator. Past incidents at the Air Force Academy and Naval Academy will continue to be the trend, that is, to get closure the Military will have to be busted out by the press. Good luck on changing that with legislation.

Flower - 3/16/2011 9:28:40 AM
Those "good men and women serving our country" are NOT just men and women. Because of them, you are allowed to write the comment you wrote. They put their lives on the line for YOUR freedom and earned the right to their benefits. As a Tax Payer and Veteran, I support this legislation.

upset veteran - 3/14/2011 9:58:29 PM
I would like to comment on Mr. Throwers comment. I am a prior service member who was sexually assaulted more than once and it has affected my life deeply. I have a hard time being near ppl in public and havent had a real relationship in years. I have to be drunk just to be intimate with a man and I feel worthless pretty much all of the time. So let me just tell you that we may be just men and women but when you are repeatedly assaulted and nothing is done about it for fear of the civilian world finding out it does affect you and we have a right to recieve treatment for it! So before you go saying that a line should be drawn try putting yourself in the victims shoes. It is hard to be a productive member of society when you are terrified of people and what they can do to you!!

Dustin Thrower - 3/14/2011 7:49:27 AM
I'm against rape. Let there be confusion here about that. However I believe that there are many trauma inducing experiences we encounter in life (rape, assault, accidents, loss of friends and family, etc.) where would they draw the line if they began accepting coverage for things of this nature. If the law passes it should have limits in place (such as amount of time, coverage, and the sort) tax payers can't even afford to pay for their own treatment insofar as mental health is concerned more or less be expected to contribute more to our government to cover an others. If this passes what will be next ? My service to my country caused my depression ? I'm just saying. The good men and women serving our country are still just men and women and this is one of those things people like to take advantage of at the cost of others.