>>> A NEW REPORT ON SEX ABUSE IN
THE MARINE CORP FINDS ONE OUT OF
FIVE ASSAULTS TOOK PLACE IN SAN
DIEGO COUNTY LAST YEAR.
JOANNE FARYON HAS THAT STORY
FROM THE ROUND TABLE.
>> Joanne: THE U.S. MARINE CORP
REPORTS 346 SEXUAL ASSAULTS
ACROSS THE NATION WITH A NUMBER
IN SAN DIEGO.
AT CAM CAM OF 4.
AT MCAA MIRAMAR 3, AND AT MCRD
SAN DIEGO NINE WERE REPORTED.
WE ARE JOINED BY DR. CAROLYN
ADARD.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> Joanne: THERE ARE CONCERNS
AND REPORTS THAT SUGGEST THE
NUMBERS ARE HIGHER AND THIS IS A
TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
DO YOU SEE THAT IN YOUR RESEARCH
AS WELL.
>> DEFINITELY.
IT'S HARD TO KNOW THE EXACT
NUMBERS.
THERE IS SO MUCH UNDER
REPORTING.
PEOPLE TEND NOT TO REPORT IT
WHEN IT HAPPENS OR EVEN AFTER
THE FACT.
THE NUMBERS WE HAVE AT THE VA,
WE SCREEN EVERYONE.
THIS MAYBE THE FIRST MEETING.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS A RATE
OF 24% OF WOMEN AND 1.2% OF MEN
REPORT TO PROVIDERS THEY HAVE
EXPERIENCED MILITARY SEXUAL
TRAUMA IN THE PAST.
>> Joanne: IS THAT RATE HIGHER
THAN THE CIVILIAN COMMUNITY.
>> THAT PARTICULAR RATE IS NOT
NECESSARILY HIGHER.
THE RATE FROM THE SCREENINGS.
THE RESEARCH USING CONFIDENTIAL
AND ANONYMOUS REPORTING HAS
HIGHER NUMBERS AND HIGHER RATES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
TOGETHER IT SUGGESTS A HIGHER
RATE OF INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL
ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN
THE MILITARY THEN THE CIVILIAN
POPULATION.
>> Joanne: YOU WORK HERE IN SAN
DIEGO AT THE MILITARY SEXUAL
TRAUMA CLINIC.
WHO COMES TO YOUR CLINIC, WHO DO
YOU SEE.
>> A WIDE RANGE OF AGES.
WE SEE MEN AND WOMEN.
VARIOUS BRANCHES.
WE CAN HAVE SOMEONE WHO
EXPERIENCED MAYBE MILITARY
SEXUAL TRAUMA LAST YEAR JUST
RETURN FROM DEPLOYMENT, AND ARE
SEEKING SERVICES.
UP TO SOMEONE WHO WAS IN THEIR
80s AND EXPERIENCED SEXUAL
TRAUMA DECADES AGO AND HAVE
LEARNED ABOUT THE SERVICES AND
ARE SEEKING TREATMENT.
>> Joanne: WHEN YOU USE THE TERM
MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA.
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT SEXUAL
ASSAULT AND TRAUMA THAT FOLLOWS?
WHY DO WE USE THE TERM ?
>> IT'S A CONFUSING TERM.
I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT.
IT INCLUDES SEXUAL HARASSMENT
THAT IS THREATENING.
THAT CAN INCLUDE WHAT WE CALL
COMMAND RAPE, PRESSURED INTO
SEXUAL FAVORS BY SOMEONE WITH
CONTROL OR POWER OVER YOU.
IT INCLUDES WHAT YOU TYPICALLY
THINK OF IS SEXUAL ASSAULT WHERE
PHYSICAL FORCE IS USED.
WHAT IS TRAUMATIC ABOUT IT
ENCOMPASS WHAT'S HAPPENS AFTER
IF YOU DO REPORT.
HOW IS THAT RECEIVED?
THE FACT YOU'RE NOT FEELING
COMFORTABLE TO REPORT AND YOU'RE
LEFT WITH THIS.
YOU'RE INTERNALIZING IT AND LEFT
WITH A SHATTERED SENSE OF WHO
YOU ARE AND WHO YOUR BROTHERHOOD
AND SISTERHOOD IS.
IT'S VERY ALL ENCOMPASSING TERM
THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THOSE
THINGS THAT DO CONTRIBUTE TO THE
TRAUMA.
>> Joanne: WE HEAR OFTEN ABOUT
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER,
PTSB IS.
THERE A CROSSOVER IN THE
SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS YOU SEE WITH
THIS TRAUMA?
>> YES.
DEFINITELY.
MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA REFERS TO
THE EVENT AND SORT OF THE
AFTERMATH AND REACTION.
PTSD IS WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU
IF YOU DO EXPERIENCE A TRAUMA.
IN FACT, IT'S SORT OF THE
DISTRESS, THE MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUE AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR
LIFE.
MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA IS A HIGH
RISK FOR DEVELOPING PTSD.
YOU HAVE MORE OF A RISK OF
DEVELOPING PTSD FOLLOWING
MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA THAN
MAYBE COMBAT TRAUMA.
WHAT YOU MORE READILY ASSOCIATE
WITH PTSD.
OR EVEN CIVILIAN SEXUAL TRAUMA.
MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA PUTS YOU
AT A HIGHER RISK OF PTSD.
>> Joanne: HOW DOES COMBAT COME
INTO PLAY.
DOES IT PLAY A ROLL IN THIS.
>> THERE IS A RESEARCH ARTICLE
THAT LOOKS AT THE RATES OF MST
THAT OCCURRED DURING COMBAT
TIMES OR COMBAT AND DEPLOYED
AREAS.
THE RATES SEEM TO BE HIGHER
DURING THOSE TIMES.
>> Joanne: THE REASON WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THIS TODAY.
THE NAVY RELEASED A REPORT
RECENTLY.
IT'S WORDED STRONGLY, WE HAVE TO
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS GOING ON FOR TOO LONG.
IT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT
CONSEQUENCES.
ALSO WE HEAR THAT THIS IS
SOMETHING THE MILITARY HAS KNOWN
ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME.
ARE YOU SEEING, YOU KNOW, AT THE
GROUND LEVEL ANY -- A
DIFFERENCE, ARE PEOPLE REPORTING
IT MORE.
IS SOMETHING HAPPENING WHEN THEY
DO REPORT IT?
ARE WE MAKING HEAD WAVES IN THIS
ISSUE.
>> THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION FOR
ME TO ANSWER.
I'M NOT PRIVY HE TO WHAT THE DOD
IS DOING.
I GET THE INFORMATION YOU GET
AND THE REPORTS THAT CAME OUT
LAST YEAR.
THERE IS A LOT OF LIP SERVICE
AND ATTENTION.
THEY EVEN INTRODUCED OFFICES
WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONDERS.
THAT'S WONDERFUL BUT THERE ISN'T
A LOT OF FOLLOW THROUGH FOR
LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF THOSE
THINGS, HAS BEEN ON THE NUMBERS.
AS YOU MENTIONED SORT OF THE --
THE ATTENTION TO, YOU KNOW
PUNISHING OR PROSECUTING
PERPETRATORS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN EVIDENCE OF THAT
SORT OF BEING, GIVEN THIS
ATTENTION IT NEEDS.
>> Joanne: WHERE CAN PEOPLE GET
HELP IF THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE
ABOUT THIS.
>> THEY CAN COME TO THE V. A.
THEY CAN CALL MY OFFICE.
IF THEY JUST GOOGLE MILITARY
SEXUAL TRAMA, VA, SAN DIEGO.
THEY WILL GET MY INFORMATION,
AND THEY CAN KALE ME UP.
I WILL GET THEM ENROLLED AND
STARTED.
>> Joanne: GREAT.
I WANT TO SEND PEOPLE TO OUR
WEBSITE KPBS.ORG.
WE WILL HAVE THE LINKS THERE AS
WELL.
>> FANTASTIC.
>> Joanne: DR. ALLARD, THANKS
FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.