US: 15 pct of Iraq vets report sexual trauma

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:05:07 GMT Some 15 percent of US troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan report experiencing some kind of sexual trauma, a new study indicates.  The study, which was released by the VA's National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder on Wednesday, has also revealed that 76 percent of the female troops who have suffered previous sexual trauma reported mental health problems, 51 percent of which include some form of post-traumatic stress disorder.  According to the study, one in seven female veterans reported an instance of military sexual trauma while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.  Rachel Kimerling, who co-authored the report, says that term "military sexual trauma" covers a range of events from coerced sex to outright rape.  The USA Today also reported that many women in the military are too scared to report the assaults. Anita Sanchez of the Miles Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides services to victims of military-related trauma said that less than a third of the women who come to Miles for help after sexual assaults say they have reported their cases to the military.  The study also indicates that women with military-related sexual trauma have a 59 percent higher risk of mental health problems.  According to the survey, men with military-related sexual trauma have a 40 percent higher risk of mental health problems. SG/RE. Original source at PressTV.