Military Sexual Trauma Resources

In Canada, there are few dedicated resources and supports for Veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST), and for the health care providers who work with them. Many service providers may also be unaware that when military members leave service, their health care services transition from those provided by the Canadian Armed Forces to their local provincial or territorial system. As such, health care providers may be treating a Veteran or Veteran Family member without realizing it, including those who have been impacted by MST.

To raise awareness and respond to this gap, the Atlas Institute has collaborated with Veterans who have been impacted by MST and with health care providers to develop a collection of resources designed to build and improve knowledge about MST. These resources are intended to support the healing journeys of people impacted by MST, to improve the ability of health care providers to deliver effective care in their clinical practices, and to increase general understanding of MST.

RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE IMPACTED BY MST

The following two resources are designed to help expand awareness of experiences and impacts of MST and the available options for support. They include key facts and definitions, as well as tips and strategies.

RESOURCES FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

Knowing that you are providing care to a Veteran impacted by MST can lead to a more sensitized understanding of their care needs and strengthen best practices in supporting them. These resources provide introductory information intended to raise health care providers’ awareness of the unique military and Veteran-specific factors that can affect care for Veterans who have experienced MST, and to suggest ways to enhance care based on this awareness.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

An advisory committee, consisting of Veterans impacted by MST and health care providers who work in the military/Veteran context, was engaged to develop these resources, using a co-creation and consultation approach. Their insights and expertise helped shape the content and creative direction of these resources.

The names listed include only the individuals who have provided explicit consent to be presented on the Atlas Institute website.

FUTURE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

The Atlas Institute will be developing informational resources for Family members of those who have been impacted by MST. If you are a Family member and would be interested in supporting this work, please reach out to us at engagement@theroyal.ca