At the time of the study, Bridgit Burns, Kate Grindlay, Kelsey Holt, and Ruth Manski were with Ibis Reproductive Health, Cambridge, MA. Daniel Grossman is with Ibis Reproductive Health, Oakland, CA, and the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco.
Am J Public Health. 2014 Feb;104(2):345-9. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301576. Epub 2013 Dec 12.
We explored qualitatively US servicewomen's experiences with and perceptions of military sexual trauma (MST), reporting, and related services.
From May 2011 to January 2012, we conducted 22 telephone interviews with US servicewomen deployed overseas between 2002 and 2011. We analyzed data thematically with modified grounded theory methods.
Factors identified as contributing to MST included deployment dynamics, military culture, and lack of consequences for perpetrators. Participants attributed low MST reporting to negative reactions and blame from peers and supervisors, concerns about confidentiality, and stigma. Unit cohesion was cited as both a facilitator and a barrier to reporting. Availability and awareness of MST services during deployment varied. Barriers to care seeking were similar to reporting barriers and included confidentiality concerns and stigma. We identified several avenues to address MST, including strengthening consequences for perpetrators.
We identified barriers to MST reporting and services. Better understanding of these issues will allow policymakers to improve MST prevention and services.
我们从定性角度探讨了美国女兵对军事性创伤(MST)、报告和相关服务的经历和看法。
2011 年 5 月至 2012 年 1 月,我们对 22 名 2002 年至 2011 年期间在海外部署的美国女兵进行了电话访谈。我们采用改良的扎根理论方法对数据进行了主题分析。
导致 MST 的因素包括部署动态、军事文化和对犯罪者缺乏后果。参与者将 MST 报告率低归因于来自同伴和主管的负面反应和指责、对保密性的担忧和耻辱感。单位凝聚力被认为是报告的促进因素和障碍。部署期间 MST 服务的可及性和意识存在差异。寻求护理的障碍与报告障碍相似,包括保密性问题和耻辱感。我们确定了几种解决 MST 的途径,包括加强对犯罪者的后果。
我们发现了 MST 报告和服务的障碍。更好地了解这些问题将使政策制定者能够改进 MST 的预防和服务。