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Author(s): Galina A. Portnoy [sup.1] [sup.2] , Mark R. Relyea [sup.1] [sup.2] , Amy E. Street [sup.3] [sup.4] , Sally G. Haskell [sup.1] [sup.2] , Katherine M. Iverson [sup.3] [sup.4] [...], Significant research has focused on intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among women Veterans, yet much less is known about women Veterans' IPV perpetration. Although military sexual trauma (MST) is a predictor of IPV victimization, military sexual assault (MSA), a component of MST, may predict especially adverse consequences for women Veterans. This study examined the unique effects of MSA on IPV victimization of, and perpetration by, women Veterans, and investigated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and prior IPV victimization as potential mediators of IPV perpetration. Participants included 187 women Veterans drawn from a larger web-based survey. We assessed the two components of MST (MSA and harassment) at Time 1 (T1), PTSD symptoms at Time 2 (T2), IPV victimization at T2 and Time 3 (T3), and IPV perpetration at T3. MSA predicted multiple subtypes of IPV victimization and perpetration, whereas harassment predicted neither. Those who reported MSA were more likely to experience T3 psychological and sexual IPV victimization, with PTSD symptoms significantly mediating this path. MSA was also directly related to T3 psychological IPV perpetration and indirectly related to physical and sexual IPV perpetration through PTSD symptoms. MSA was directly related to T2 PTSD symptoms while T2 IPV victimization was directly related to T3 IPV perpetration. These findings underscore that women Veterans' IPV perpetration may be in response to their own IPV victimization through self-defense and/or due to their PTSD symptoms. Results support prevention, screening, and treatment for IPV victimization and PTSD symptoms to lower risk of future IPV revictimization and perpetration.

This qualitative study provides a platform for women veterans to inform our perspective of their experienced impacts following military sexual trauma (MST). We engaged 23 women veterans in semistructured interviews and used a grounded theory-informed thematic analytic approach, to interpret women's experiences. Women described negative impacts of their MST experiences across psychological, behavioral, and occupational domains. Less frequently, women discussed experiences of posttraumatic growth. These results aid our understanding of the complexities of women's posttrauma experiences and suggest that holistic intervention frameworks focused on a range of potential intervention targets are warranted in helping women veterans recover from MST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this investigation was to examine gender differences in experiences of sexual harassment during military service and the negative mental health symptoms associated with these experiences. Female (n = 2,319) and male (n = 1,627) former reservists were surveyed about sexual harassment during their military service and current mental health symptoms. As expected, women reported a higher frequency of sexual harassment. Further, women had increased odds of experiencing all subtypes of sexual harassment. Being female conferred the greatest risk for experiencing the most serious forms of harassment. For both men and women, sexual harassment was associated with more negative current mental health. However, at higher levels of harassment, associations with some negative mental health symptoms were stronger for men than women. Although preliminary, the results of this investigation suggest that although women are harassed more frequently than men, clinicians must increase their awareness of the potential for sexual harassment among men in order to provide the best possible care to all victims of harassment.

This study explored the impact of violence exposure on investment-model constructs within a sample of college women involved in heterosexual dating relationships. Results generally supported the "common sense" hypothesis, suggesting that violence negatively impacts satisfaction for and commitment to one's relationship and is positively associated with intentions to leave. Exposure to psychological abuse uniquely impacted intentions to leave relationships above and beyond other model factors, suggesting that this may be a particularly important factor in determining college women's decisions. In a series of analyses examining the investment model within each of two groups (e.g., those exposed or not exposed to physical violence), results showed that the model predicted victimized women's decisions to leave as well as it predicted nonvictimized women's decisions. Taken together, results of this study suggest that victimized women base their relationship termination decisions on the same information as nonvictimized women do.

We examined military-related sexual trauma among deployed Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans. Of 125729 veterans who received Veterans Health Administration primary care or mental health services, 15.1% of the women and 0.7% of the men reported military sexual trauma when screened. Military sexual trauma was associated with increased odds of a mental disorder diagnosis, including posttraumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders, dapression, and substance use disorders. Sexual trauma is an important post-deployment mental health issue in this population. (Am J Public Health. 2010;100:1409-1412. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.171793)

RESEARCHERS AND CLINICIANS ALIKE are interested in the effects of sexual harassment on mental health, including associations with alcohol use (Freels et al., 2005; Richman et al., 1996, 1999) and [...], Objective: Researchers and clinicians alike are interested in the effects of sexual harassment on mental health, including associations with problem drinking. The aim of the current investigation was to examine depression symptoms as a mediator of the association between sexual harassment during military service and current harmful alcohol use in a sample of former military personnel, stratified by gender. Method: Using a cross-sectional design, 3,946 former reservists were surveyed regarding their experiences of sexual harassment in the military and their current depression symptoms and harmful alcohol use. Fifty-nine percent of the final sample were female. Results: As expected, women endorsed experiencing sexual harassment more than men, and men endorsed harmful drinking more than women. Sexual harassment was associated with increased depression symptoms among both men and women; however, depression symptoms mediated the association between sexual harassment and harmful alcohol use among women only. Sexual harassment was not a significant predictor of harmful alcohol use among men. Conclusions: The associations between sexual harassment, depression symptoms, and harmful alcohol use differ between men and women in this sample. Consistent with the self-medication hypothesis, sexual harassment is associated with harmful drinking among women, and this association can be accounted for by symptoms of depression. The high prevalence of harmful drinking among men and the lack of an association with sexual harassment suggest that, in this sample, men's harmful drinking is influenced by factors other than sexual harassment.

This article discusses the relationship between psychological abuse and post-traumatic stress. Topics include symptomology, and mental depression.