Dissertation
BETRAYAL BY COMRADES-IN-ARMS: VA HEALTH CARE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN SURVIVORS OF MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
01/2016
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/117336
Abstract
Although women comprise approximately 15% of the armed forces, military sexual trauma (MST) is an issue that continues to be poorly understood. Not only does it involve a traumatic experience, but the sexual violence also is exacerbated by betrayal/institutional trauma and abuses of power within the military (such as professional and social retaliation). Evidence suggests that these post-assault influences may be re-traumatizing, creating widespread reluctance to report and affecting survivors’ physical and mental health. While the literature is dense with studies addressing pre-military risk factors for MST, there has been relatively little research exploring the post-assault experiences of survivors—including the impact of MST on women survivors’ ability to receive quality health care within the VHA system.
A Heideggerian hermeneutic approach was used to interview sixteen women MST survivors who have used the VHA for health care since discharging from the military. In order to identify the themes and patterns that emerged from the women’s stories, a hermeneutic methodology was used to analyze verbatim transcripts of study participants’ digitally recorded interviews. Three patterns emerged from these transcripts, all of which fell under the common idea of Being Betrayed by Comrades-in-Arms. These patterns were 1) Being Stuck Under the Bell Jar, 2) Experiencing Healthcare as Going Up the Down Staircase, and 3) Surviving Military Sexual Trauma as Finding the Secret Garden.
Study participants described being invisible as women and MST survivors as well as feeling trapped by an organization that closely parallels the military. Even so, they have shown resilience and are healing despite the perpetuation of betrayal by the VA health care system. Study findings corroborate current literature addressing physical and mental health effects of MST; however, this study highlights the perpetuation of betrayal experienced by MST survivors who use the VA for health care and underscores the need for an appropriate description for this complex series of traumatic experiences. Additionally, implications for health care practice, education, policy and administration, and research are discussed.
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Details
- Title
- BETRAYAL BY COMRADES-IN-ARMS: VA HEALTH CARE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN SURVIVORS OF MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA
- Creators
- Caroline Jacobs
- Contributors
- Carrie EB Holliday (Advisor)Janet R Katz (Committee Member)Sterling M McPherson (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- College of Nursing
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 198
- Identifiers
- 99900581518601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation