Lets Not Forget The Secondary Victims of Military Sexual Assault/ Trauma

The impact on secondary victims of military sexual trauma (MST) weaves a complex web of emotional, psychological, and societal threads, much like a tapestry of human experience both intricate and heart-rending. These secondary victims – often family members, close friends, and colleagues of the primary victim – are like silent echoes of the original trauma, resonating with the pain yet frequently overlooked in the broader narrative.

Imagine a stone thrown into a still pond. The primary victim is at the epicentre, but the ripples reach far and wide. Each ripple represents the secondary victims, whose lives are irrevocably altered. Spouses, for instance, may grapple with a perplexing duality: the profound desire to support their loved one, yet feeling utterly helpless in the face of their suffering. They might experience secondary traumatic stress, mirroring symptoms akin to PTSD, such as hypervigilance or emotional numbing, as they navigate the turbulent waters of empathy and personal distress.

Children of MST survivors often become inadvertent custodians of unspoken grief. They may perceive shifts in family dynamics, absorbing the emotional weight without fully comprehending its origin. This can manifest in developmental challenges, anxiety, or behavioural changes, as if the trauma casts a long shadow, reaching into the next generation.

Colleagues within the military framework, too, are not immune. They might oscillate between feelings of guilt for not preventing the incident and anger towards the institution they trusted. This can lead to a diminished sense of camaraderie, a cornerstone of military ethos, eroding the very fabric of their professional and personal identities.

Beyond individuals, the reverberations of MST on secondary victims raise profound questions about the broader military culture and societal structures. How do we foster an environment where such trauma is not only addressed with sensitivity and care for the primary victim but also acknowledges the collateral emotional toll on those closely connected? It is a call for a more holistic approach to healing, recognising that trauma, like a pebble in a pond, touches more lives than it first seems.

In exploring this nuanced landscape, one cannot help but be moved by the resilience and strength of those who, directly or indirectly, bear the scars of such experiences. Their stories, often untold, are a testament to the human spirit's capacity to endure and seek healing, even in the wake of profound adversity.

Tony Wright CEO Forward Assist