In This Issue

Feature Topic

April is sexual assault awareness month.* Sexual assault is any kind of sexual activity against an individual's will. It is an experience, not a diagnosis, yet is more likely to lead to PTSD than many other types of trauma.

Contrary to popular belief, sexual assault does not typically occur between strangers. One national survey found that 76% of sexually assaulted women were attacked by someone they knew. Sexual assault happens to women and to men. At least 10% of men in the U.S. have suffered from sexual trauma. Learn more about men and sexual trauma.

Military sexual trauma (MST) is sexual assault and sexual harassment that occurs during a Veteran’s military service. There are free VA services for Veterans who have experienced MST (regardless of whether they have a VA disability rating).

Find out more about services in this feature from VHA Inside Veterans Health: Learn About the Impact of Sexual Trauma on Veterans.

Resources

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network*
 (RAINN) carries out programs to prevent sexual assault, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.

DoD Safe Helpline* provides confidential one-on-one assistance for individuals who have experienced military sexual trauma, rape, or domestic violence. Call or text 1-877-995-5247 to talk with someone 24⁄7.

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For Providers

Are you asking your patients about sexual trauma? Did you know that sexual assault survivors report higher rates of physical issues? Sexual trauma can lead to PTSD and other problems for which you can provide help or referral. Here are some resources to assist you:

• Sexual Trauma: Information for Women's Medical Providers
  Provides basic information for medical providers working with women with a history of sexual trauma. Includes suggestions on preventing patient distress during exams.
• Trauma Exposure Measures
  Find questionnaires to help you screen for trauma, including sexual trauma. These instruments assess the types and/or degree of severity of trauma exposure.
• PTSD 101 Course: Military Sexual Trauma
  This online course defines sexual harassment and assault and describes implications for care.

Learn on the Go

Visit our new mobile PTSD website. The professional section includes audio podcasts of the PTSD 101 Curriculum. Listen and learn while you commute, jog, etc.

From the War Zone to the Homefront II Lecture Series

Last year 6000 providers signed up for this free training series. Join us for new lectures, live, online, with Q&A (or view archives). Learn more and register today! Free CE/CMEs.

• Today 4/25 (11:30 am ET): Managing Grief and Loss in Returning Veterans and Families
• 5/02: Pain Issues in Returning Veterans
• 5/30: PTSD Diagnosis and DSM-5 (Bonus session: featuring newly released criteria!)

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 For VA Providers

Military Sexual Trauma

Resources to assist VA Staff in their work with Veterans who have experienced MST are located on the VA MST Sharepoint site.

VA Monthly Lecture Series:

PTSD Psychopharmacology Best Practices

3rd Wednesday of each month, 2 pm EST. VA staff please email us to sign up. Presentations are posted afterwards on vaww.ptsd.va.gov under Provider Education.

• 05/15 - Melissa Christopher on The Role of Clinical Pharmacists in Improving PTSD Care

VA PTSD Consultation Program

Free PTSD consultation for anyone working with Veterans. Call 866-948-7880 or email ptsdconsult@va.gov.

Join our Lecture Series, based on questions posed to the VA PTSD Consultation Program:

• 05/21 - Jennifer Vasterling and Steven Thorp on PTSD and Dementia

3rd Tuesday of each month, 2 pm EST. VA staff please email ptsdconsult@va.gov to sign up.

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A recent study conducted at the Center indicates that childhood sexual abuse and military sexual trauma predict intimate partner violence. Watch for a paper that will be published soon to learn more.

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Explosions at the Boston Marathon and Waco Fertilizer Plant. Our thoughts are with those affected by these recent events. Here is information to help with recovery in the aftermath:

• Resources for Survivors and the Public 
• Resources for Providers Responding to Sudden Trauma

Special Thanks . . . to all who are helping members of the community in Newtown, CT recover. Dozens of local providers completed training in Cognitive Processing Therapy provided by VA's National Center for PTSD.

Distress, Traumatic Stress, and PTSD in the Wake of the Boston Bombing. In the Huffington Post (blog) Dr. Patricia Watson discusses possible psychological effects for those close to the traumatic events. Read more.*

USA Today on PTSD. Features Dr. Paula Schnurr, Deputy Executive Director of the Center, who talks about Veterans and barriers to seeking effective PTSD treatment. Read more.*

Correction - Apologies for the incorrect link to this article last month:
PTSD and Conflict Behavior between Veterans and their Intimate Partners. A new article about a consequence of deployments many military couples experience. Read more.*

Be sure to forward this update to others so they can subscribe. We send only one update per month to keep you informed of the latest PTSD developments.

Feature Topic next month: PTSD and Relationships

The Staff of the National Center for PTSD

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