Veterans Affairs committee  I actually wanted to be in the artillery initially, but at recruitment they laughed at me and said, “How about the navy?” I enjoyed the navy, but I just honestly wanted to do boot camp to see if I could make it at that point. I ended up liking the sea. Then I went back to school and transferred to intelligence officer.

Veterans Affairs committee  I wish I could say, “If something happens, talk”, but I can see what happens when people do and I don't know if it's a good time yet. I don't think we're there yet. There are still a lot of medical releases. There are still a lot of repercussions. There are still a lot of people being penalized for talking, and the retaliation part has not been set yet.

Veterans Affairs committee  We also have to consider that our spouses usually face retaliation as well. Even if we're out and we do speak, there is a chance that they get retaliated against. I have five people in my group, and I know that this is what's going on. Their spouses are facing retaliation for it, and they feel bad.

Veterans Affairs committee  I have one message. A lot of people see things going on and say nothing. The best way to stop assaults and things like that from happening is that when you're a witness and you see something going on, you say, “You know what? I see this, and it looks pretty bad. Why don't I go with you and report this?”

Veterans Affairs committee  No, it's bi-weekly.

Veterans Affairs committee  Well, there are three filters, I would say. You have to prove it happened. You have to prove your condition is linked to what happened, because sometimes they will find childhood trauma and say you were already injured before. Then you have to also prove it was service-related.

Veterans Affairs committee  The BPA also treats people.... I didn't bring all the quotes, but I get people saying, “The lawyer said I would have screamed if I were you” or “If I had been raped, I wouldn't need psychological treatment.” There is a lot of victim blaming during BPA or when seeing a military doctor.

Veterans Affairs committee  Actually, it's a male who brought this into my group, because he was assaulted, obviously, by another man, which often happens, and they prefer to talk to women. They would like to have the choice. Also, it is proven—I don't have the research on that—that in peer support, women heal better when it's women alone, but if it's with other men, they tend to stay quiet and let the guys talk, so the healing process is not as good.

Veterans Affairs committee  First of all, they had the definition. There was acknowledgement that it happens. They have explanations of what can be considered as proof that are different from what would apply if you went into combat. For example, if you contacted a help line and you can prove it or if you went and asked for help during that time, those can be proof.

Veterans Affairs committee  Do you mean within our group or outside it?

Veterans Affairs committee  I have recently seen more VAC claims being accepted. It's when people push and push and are about to come out in public that they get accepted, so I guess that's a good start. Before, you had to almost fake another trauma. It was so hard to get a hearing for military sexual trauma that people would find another thing—a loud noise or something scary, something easier to prove.

Veterans Affairs committee  That was OSISS.

Veterans Affairs committee  No.

Veterans Affairs committee  I was offered peer support training, for example, but it would have taken me away from work for four days or a week. I work full time, and you know, after redoing your career, you don't have as many days off at the start. As a military spouse, I have bounced around as well, and I've had to start from scratch all the time.

Veterans Affairs committee  It was just that in my situation, because I was operational when my assault happened, they considered that an operational thing. For a lot of people that is not the case, but I was allowed to go in because of it. I was invited to take the training; I just couldn't do it.