Military Sexual Trauma
Program Description
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides care for conditions resulting from experiences of sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that happened in the military. Both physical and mental health treatment (including medications) related to these experiences are provided free of charge to male and female veterans.You can apply for service-connected disability for conditions resulting from military sexual trauma, but the free care is not dependent upon becoming service-connected. Go to "Veterans' Compensation for Service-Connected Disabilities" for more information on how to apply.
General Program Requirements
Special eligibility rules apply. You may be able to receive this benefit even if you are not eligible for other VA services. Even veterans with dishonorable discharges may potentially be eligible. There is no length of service, income, or other standard eligibility requirements. You don't need to be service-connected or have been given a specific diagnosis (e.g., PTSD).Incidents do not need to have been reported at the time they occurred, and you do not need any documentation that the incidents occurred. Military Sexual Trauma (MST) may have happened on or off base and while you were on or off duty. The relationship between the perpetrator and the victim is not a factor in eligibility for care.
There are no limits on length of treatment for MST-related conditions.
For more information, go to Military Sexual Trauma Counseling.
