Talk:Military sexual trauma

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 25 January 2021 and 14 May 2021. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Rebekah.a.epps. Peer reviewers: Sims1109, Breahmckay.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 01:03, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 21 August 2019 and 7 November 2019. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Mary the Martian.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 04:10, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

Ariana Klay

The incidents were reported at the Washington, D.C. Marine base. All the women filing charges claim to having been harassed, abused and made fun of. In some of the cases, their fellow officers were calling them “walking mattresses.” Their attackers were never prosecuted, or even suspended, until now, the Today Show reports.Lt. Klay had served in the Marine Corps in Iraq, after graduating with honors from the U.S. Naval Academy. In her lawsuit, she claims that she was first presented with verbal advances. After her refusal to “cooperate,” the harassment and abuse started. It “culminated in Lt Klay being gang-raped at her private residence one block away from the base in August 2010,” her statement reads. Among the assaulters was her commanding officer. She told the press the attack was meant as retaliation, and her life was threatened in the process. “An officer, senior to me, and his civilian friend came to my house on a Saturday morning, uninvited and both of them threatened me with death and raped me.” [...] And his reason for doing that, he said, was that I had humiliated him in front of his junior Marines and he wanted to humiliate me back, ” Lt. Klay said. After coming forward and accusing their fellow officers of rape, all the women filing the lawsuit reported they were accused of misconduct. Their superiors blamed them for the incidents, naming their alleged excessive drinking and fraternization as grounds for dismissal of all charges.“They said that I welcomed the sexual harassment by wearing make up and running shorts,” Lt. Klay recalls. Even though Air Force Maj. General Mary Kay Hertog of the Pentagon’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office claims they “own this problem” and “want to absolutely do the right thing,” Lt. Klay finds herself the victim of harassment one again, this time on Facebook. Fellow Marines posted a dummy complaint on her Facebook profile, poking fun at her “Reasons for filing this report.” They name “I am a little bitch,” “I am a cry baby,” and “I want my mommy” among those reasons.

Incomplete definition

The definition in the article is at present, "Military sexual trauma (MST) may include any sexual activity performed against one's will, such as acts performed through physical force (...), threats of negative consequences, implied promotion, promises of favored treatment, or intoxication. Other events that may be categorized as MST may include unwanted sexual contact, threatening, offensive remarks and unwelcome sexual advances"

Shouldn't the definition somehow include that it is related to being in the military? As I understand the article, this is all about contact between two or more members of the same military. Or does it also include victims of rape by enemy soldiers? I suppose that is more likely called 'war-time sexual trauma'. This is not self-evident without any context − I had to read between the lines to arrive at this conclusion.

Also 'may include' is not very to-the-point in the very first sentence of an article. I suggest 'Military sexual trauma is sexual activity or contact against one's will with other members of the military. This may include acts performed ...'. Bever (talk) 11:39, 22 June 2016 (UTC)

I found the initial definition so vague that I needed to check through some of the references to fully comprehend the first paragraph. I've added some detail taken from the existing references. ahpook (talk)

Updating the entire MST page

The following are proposed updates to this page.

Definition

Military sexual trauma (MST) refers to sexual assault, threatening sexual harassment that occurred while a person was in the military, including any sexual activity in which one is involved against one’s will, or rape. The behavior may include physical force, threats of negative consequences, implied promotion, promises of favored treatment, or intoxication of either or both the perpetrator or victim. Other events that may be categorized as MST may include unwanted sexual contact, threatening, offensive remarks, and unwelcome sexual advances. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides medical and mental health services free of charge to enrolled veterans who report MST and has implemented universal screening for MST among all veterans receiving VA health care.

Prevalence

Military sexual trauma is a serious issue faced by the United States armed forces. In 2012, 13,900 men and 12,100 women who were active duty service members reported unwanted sexual contact while in 2016, 10,600 men and 9,600 women reported being sexually assaulted. Further, there were 5,240 official reports of sexual assault involving service members as victims in 2016; however, it is estimated that 77% of service member sexual assaults go unreported. More specifically, prevalence of MST among veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in Iraq, was reported to be as high as 15.1% among females and 0.7% among males. In a study conducted in 2014, 196 female veterans who had deployed to OIF and/or OEF were interviewed and 41% of them reported experiencing MST. As a result of these and similar findings, 17 former service members filed a lawsuit in 2010 accusing the Department of Defense of allowing a military culture that fails to prevent rapes and sexual assaults. According to the Department of Defense Task Force on Sexual Violence (2004) perpetrators of sexual assault were often male, serving in the military, and knew the victim well.

Reporting

Currently, the U.S. military allows victims of MST to make either restricted or unrestricted reports of sexual assault. This two tier system includes restricted (anonymous) and unrestricted reporting. A restricted report, allows victims to receive access to counseling and medical resources without disclosing their assault to authorities or seeking litigation against the perpetrator(s). This is different from an unrestricted report which involves seeking criminal charges against the perpetrator, eliminating anonymity. The restricted reporting option is meant to reduce negative social consequences suffered by MST survivors, increase MST reporting and in doing so improve the accuracy of information concerning MST prevalence. According to the DOD Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military (2016) in 2015, there were 4,584 Unrestricted Reports involving Service members as either victims or subjects and 1,900 Restricted Reports involving Service members as either victims or subjects. The Services do not investigate Restricted Reports and do not record the identities of alleged perpetrators. Service members who experience MST are eligible for medical care, mental healthcare, legal services, and spiritual support related to MST through the VA.

U.S. military members appear to fear repercussions, retaliation, and the stigma associated with reporting MST. The reasons service members do not report military sexual assaults include concerns about confidentiality, wanting to “move on”, not wanting to seem “weak”, fear about career repercussions, fear of stigmatization, and worry about retaliation by superiors and fellow service members. Additionally, survivors of MST may believe that nothing will be done if they report a sexual assault, they may blame themselves, and/or they may fear for their reputation.

Effects of Stigma on Reporting Rates

Stigma is a significant deterrent to reporting MST. Many military service members do not report sexual abuse due to fear about not being believed, worry about career impact, fear of retribution, or because their victimization will be minimized with comments such as “suck it up.” Additionally, perceived stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment after experiencing MST affects reporting. Service members often do not disclose any type of trauma (sexual assault or battlefield trauma) until asked specifically by a mental health professional due to mental health stigma, worry about career difficulties, or because they wish to preserve their masculine image.

Additionally, reporting MST sometimes results in an individual being diagnosed with a personality disorder, resulting in a discharge other than honorable, and reducing access to benefits from the VA or state. A diagnosis of a personality disorder also discounts or minimizes the credibility of the victim and may result in stigmatization by the civilian community. Many survivors of MST report that they experience rejection from the military and feel incompetent after an Unrestricted Report.

Consequences of Reporting

In spite of increased access to medical and mental health resources there are also important drawbacks to unrestricted reports of MST. MST survivors often report a loss of professional and personal identity. They are also at increased risk of re-traumatization and retaliation through the process of getting help. Service members may experience re-traumatization through blame, misdiagnosis, and being questioned about the validity of their experience. Retaliation from reporting a sexual complaint may have distressing consequences for the victim and weakens the respectful culture of the military. Retaliation can refer to reprisal, ostracism, maltreatment or abusive behavior by co-workers, exclusion by peers, or disruption of their career. The Department of Defense Task Force on Sexual Violence (2004) reported that unkind gossip was the most common problem that members experienced at work in response to a MST report. In 2015, 68% of survivors reported at least one negative experience associated with their report of sexual assault. The Department of Defense Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military (2016) indicates that approximately 61% of retaliation reports involved a man or multiple men as alleged retaliators, while nearly 27% of reports included multiple men and women as retaliators. The majority (73%) of retaliators were not the alleged perpetrator of the associated sexual assault or sexual harassment. More than half (58%) of the alleged retaliators were in the chain of command of the reporter, followed by peers, co-workers, friends, or family members of the reporter, or a superior not in the reporters chain of command. Infrequently (7%), the alleged sexual perpetrator was also the alleged retaliator.

The military is comprised of 85% male active duty members. Although more men in the military experience sexual assault, a larger proportion of female victims report their assault to military authorities. In 2004, of service members who said they reported their experiences, 33% of women and 28% of men were satisfied with the complaint outcome, leaving approximately two thirds of women and men dissatisfied. For service members who felt satisfied with the outcome of their report they indicated that the situation was corrected, the outcome of the report was explained to them, and some action was taken against the offender. Service members who were dissatisfied with the outcome reported that nothing was done about their complaint. Since changes in reporting standards were implemented in 2012, military sexual assault reporting has increased significantly. Since this change most service members report instances of MST to their direct supervisor, another person in their chain of command, or the offender’s supervisor, rather than to a military special office or civilian authority.

Individuals who make a report and deny mental health evaluations could be given a dishonorable discharge for making false allegations. Therefore, victims are sent the message to “keep quiet and deal with it” rather than reporting the assault and possibly losing their career and military benefits. In fact, 23% of women and 15% of men reported that action was taken against them because of their complaint. Additionally, according to an investigation by the Human Rights Watch in 2016, many survivors reported they received more disciplinary notices, were seen as “troublemakers”, assigned undesirable shift assignments, were intimidated by drill sergeants, were threatened by peers with comments such as “you got what you deserved”, and were socially isolated and further assaulted due to fear of more retaliation after an initial report. Psychological/Physiological Difficulties

Servicemembers who experiencing a MST may experience increased emotional and physical distress as well as feelings of shame, hopelessness, and betrayal. Some of the psychological experiences of both male and female survivors include: depression, symptoms of post-traumatic stress Disorder (PTSD), mood disorders, dissociative reactions, isolation from others, and self-harm. Medical symptoms survivors have experienced include sexual difficulties, chronic pain, weight gain, and gastrointestinal problems.

Interpersonal Difficulties

MST is a significant predictor of interpersonal difficulties post-deployment. Holland and colleagues (2015) found that survivors who perceived greater logistical barriers to obtaining mental health care reported more symptoms of depression and PTSD. Particularly for women veterans, PTSD and suicide are major concerns. Males experiencing MST are associated with greater PTSD symptom severity, greater depression symptom severity, higher suicidality, and higher outpatient mental health treatment. In general, male veterans who report experiencing MST are younger, less likely to be currently married, more likely to be diagnosed with a mood disorder, and more likely to have experienced non-MST sexual abuse either as children or adults than military members who have not been victimized. However, the strongest predictor of any of these negative mental health outcomes, for either gender, includes anticipating public stigma (i.e., worrying about being blamed for the assault).

______

Requested move 8 March 2018

The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: no clear consensus for the new title, and thus reverting to the stable title; please note that this could have been done immediately through WP:RMTR. It appears that adding a phrase to the lede indicating that the scope of the article is a term as defined by the US military would alleviate most concerns. If further discussion is necessary, please feel free to initiate a new move request. Dekimasuよ! 17:27, 15 March 2018 (UTC)

---

Military sexual trauma (United States armed forces) → Military sexual trauma – With this edit, Fugitivedave moved the article from "Military sexual trauma" to "Military sexual trauma (United States armed forces)" with the following explanation: "As a term, MST is a term defined and used by the US armed forces alone." If true, that's even more of a reason to not disambiguate the title. See WP:Disambiguation. The disambiguated title implies that there are, or should be, other military sexual trauma articles for other countries. It seems that Fugitivedave was trying to address the Template:Globalize tag, but that tag already states, "This tag should only be applied to articles where global perspectives are reasonably believed to exist (e.g., that people in China have a different view about an idea or situation than people in Germany or South Africa)." So in cases where the tag does not apply, the tag should simply be removed. The lead can specify if a term is exclusive to the United States, if reliably sourced. Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 22:54, 8 March 2018 (UTC)

• Hi Flyer22, I probably wasn't as clear as I could have been with the explanation for the move. MST is a specific term defined in US federal law in specific connection with the right of some personnel to access services from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The term is not used in other countries, so in my view this article has to be about the US context. I'm not opposed to it being moved back, though I still think the US designation is more appropriate, because other countries don't have the same arrangements, and so an article titled MST is unlikely to attract development for other country contexts. But do you think it should still move back? Fugitivedave (talk) 00:36, 9 March 2018 (UTC)

You were clear, although you've taken the time to elaborate. Per what I stated above, I still think that the article should be moved back. But do wait for others to weigh in and for this discussion to close. It's best to try to achieve WP:Consensus on this matter. Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 19:57, 9 March 2018 (UTC)

It could be moved back as long as it's clear in the lead that it's a US-focused concept, I think. Agreed we should wait to hear what others think.Fugitivedave (talk) 21:32, 9 March 2018 (UTC)

• Question @Flyer22 Reborn:, @Fugitivedave: where's the umbrella/parent article? The one that talks about sex abuse in the armed forces in all countries? In the Australian Navy for example. In ictu oculi (talk) 00:44, 9 March 2018 (UTC)

Hi @In ictu oculi:, I think this is the closest to a parent: Sexual harassment in the military. Fugitivedave (talk) 00:54, 9 March 2018 (UTC)

Right, so that would be the umbrella to Sexual assault in the United States military. But here we've got Military sexual trauma (United States armed forces). What would that be called in Britain, Australia or Canada? If it's a thing there must be a name? You'd think. In ictu oculi (talk) 00:59, 9 March 2018 (UTC)

It means psychiatric trauma resulting from sexual misconduct in a military setting, so it combines (roughly speaking) the concepts of PTSD, sexual abuse, and the military. As far as I'm aware, only the US does this with the term MST (or at all in a single concept). The page is indeed v close in scope to Sexual assault in the United States military, and perhaps the two could be merged. What do you think? Fugitivedave (talk) 01:07, 9 March 2018 (UTC)

It does seem pretty evident that psychiatric trauma resulting from sexual misconduct in a military setting is a given for sexual misconduct in a military setting as any other setting, so surely British and Australian etc armed forces have also considered this - and their governments too. I admit I think the current title is something a problem in that it seems to assume a technical term or label for a thing is in itself distinctive, but the bigger problem is whether this is a subject the encyclopedia is covering without an encyclopaedic worldview. Maybe those who actually wrote this article could think of integrating it with or benchmarking it to the broader article base? In ictu oculi (talk) 08:57, 9 March 2018 (UTC)

---

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page or in a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

Merger proposal

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section. A summary of the conclusions reached follows.

To merge Military sexual assault into a new section on Military sexual trauma. Klbrain (talk) 12:12, 28 January 2020 (UTC)

---

I propose that a recently-created article called Military sexual assault be merged into this existing article on Military sexual trauma. I recommend merging to reduce redundancy in the topic, though the new article does have several useful stats and sources that can enhance the existing article. ---DOOMSDAYER520 (Talk|Contribs) 21:00, 27 November 2018 (UTC)

Will leave a note about this at WP:Med. I agree that we don't need both articles. Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 23:21, 28 November 2018 (UTC)

Pinging User:Kayleighwatters: Kayleigh, do you think these are the same subjects? If so, then putting all the information in the same place is usually the right approach. WhatamIdoing (talk) 02:48, 29 November 2018 (UTC)

Pinging User:WhatamIdoing: I don’t think that these are the same. Military sexual trauma (MST) is an umbrella term whereas my page focuses on a specific aspect of MST. I looked over the MST page and they mainly talk about MST stats. Mine focuses only on Military sexual assault which is a lot more severe psychologically. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Kayleighwatters (talk • contribs)

Kayleighwatters, we often do include aspects of a topic in one article. To retain both of these articles, with the titles they have, will confuse readers. That is why Doomsdayer520 proposed the merge. On a side note: I ask that no one pings me to this talk page since it's on my watchlist. Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 13:56, 29 November 2018 (UTC)

Thanks for your reply. It sounds like MST is a broader subject than MSA – like MSA plus some other things add up to the broad subject of MST. Can you tell me what other things are included in MST but aren't MSA? The fine distinctions can be important, but it's not a subject I'm particularly familiar with. WhatamIdoing (talk) 17:29, 29 November 2018 (UTC)

User:WhatamIdoing. Yes, it is a subject within MST. I believe the first part of my Wikipedia article explains the difference/importance of the distinction. MSA includes rape, sexual assault while on active duty. MST includes any form of sexual trauma including sexual harassment or unwanted touching. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Kayleighwatters (talk • contribs)

Comment from Proposer: I still think that having two articles is unnecessary and confusing, but I acknowledge Kayleigh's point that Assault is a noteworthy topic in itself. Therefore I suggest that Assault become a new section in the previously-existing article on Military sexual trauma, to give the interested reader informative coverage of one of the root causes of the trauma discussed elsewhere in that article. That in turn could encourage expanding the existing article even more with additional root causes like harassment etc. ---DOOMSDAYER520 (Talk|Contribs) 19:50, 29 November 2018 (UTC)

Well, the Military sexual trauma article currently begins by stating "are experiences of sexual assault, or repeated threatening sexual harassment." It focuses on sexual assault already and has a section on psychological difficulties. The Military sexual assault article isn't that big and can be a section within the Military sexual trauma article, with necessary (rather than unnecessary) subsections. If it grows so big that it overwhelms the article, it could then be split out into its own article again...per WP:Spinoff and WP:Spin out... just like Sexual harassment in the military is its own article. Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 10:15, 30 November 2018 (UTC)

First of all I want to thank Kayleighwatters for your contributions to Wikipedia! As you know, this is a vitally important topic that we want to cover accurately and completely in our (Wikipedia's) relevant encyclopedia articles. (I write "articles" because so many topics are inter-related, e.g., MST, MSA, PTSD, depressive disorders, Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits for MST survivors, etc.) Second, I support the merger proposal for the reasons already stated by others. Also see edits I made to the (current) MSA article (diff), which clarify the similarities and differences between the terms, MSA and MST. Briefly, MSA (sexual assaults) are a subset of MST (sexual traumas). All the best   - Mark D Worthen PsyD (talk) 01:53, 3 December 2018 (UTC)

agree w/ above editor--Ozzie10aaaa (talk) 11:19, 7 December 2018 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

  Y Merger complete. Klbrain (talk) 12:22, 28 January 2020 (UTC)

Psychological/physiological difficulties

Hello. I have been researching the topic of military sexual assault. For a complete list of my resources, please refer back to my sanbox page. I plan to contribute to the section "Psychological/physiological difficulties", specifically regarding sexual minorities. I plan to expand the information that is currently available on wikipedia, regarding the psychological effects suffered by LGBT military veterans, post military sexual trauma. I intend to elaborate on the greater risk that people in the armed forces, who identify with a sexual minority, are placed at for military sexual trauma. As I dive deeper into the topic, my general statement will become more refined and I will update the talkpage with my plans. Thank you for welcoming me into the community. Mary the Martian (talk) 01:42, 15 October 2019 (UTC)

I added my contribution to the page. At first I posted my contribution in the wrong place. Mary the Martian (talk) 15:41, 12 November 2019 (UTC)

Globalize

Military sexual trauma must be a worldwide issue, and yet the article seems to focus almost exclusively on the US experience. It would be great to build information about experience around the world; otherwise, we're (almost) duplicating the scope of Sexual assault in the United States military. Klbrain (talk) 12:29, 28 January 2020 (UTC)

@Klbrain: Good point. The dilemma, which seems to have been discussed to some extent in the merger proposal, is that "military sexual trauma" in the U.S. is a legal, administrative, and clinical term, defined by statute,^[α],[β] referenced in regulations regarding disability benefits,^[γ] and associated with specific clinical and support services.^[δ] Thus, by definition, "military sexual trauma" is a U.S.-centric term.

Footnotes

α. Counseling and treatment for sexual trauma, 38 U.S.C. § 1720D(a)(1), https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/38/1720D ("The Secretary shall operate a program under which the Secretary provides counseling and appropriate care and services to veterans who the Secretary determines require such counseling and care and services to overcome psychological trauma, which in the judgment of a mental health professional employed by the Department, resulted from a physical assault of a sexual nature, battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment which occurred while the veteran was serving on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.")

β. Counseling and treatment for sexual trauma, 38 U.S.C. § 1720D(f), https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/38/1720D#f ("In this section, the term 'sexual harassment' means repeated, unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature which is threatening in character.")

γ. Posttraumatic stress disorder, 38 C.F.R. § 3.304(f)(5), https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=8cf8133737d9f521ab6e0bd73819090c&mc=true&n=sp38.1.3.a&r=SUBPART&ty=HTML#se38.1.3_1304 ("If a posttraumatic stress disorder claim is based on in-service personal assault, evidence from sources other than the veteran's service records may corroborate the veteran's account of the stressor incident. Examples of such evidence include, but are not limited to: records from law enforcement authorities, rape crisis centers, mental health counseling centers, hospitals, or physicians; pregnancy tests or tests for sexually transmitted diseases; and statements from family members, roommates, fellow service members, or clergy. Evidence of behavior changes following the claimed assault is one type of relevant evidence that may be found in these sources. Examples of behavior changes that may constitute credible evidence of the stressor include, but are not limited to: a request for a transfer to another military duty assignment; deterioration in work performance; substance abuse; episodes of depression, panic attacks, or anxiety without an identifiable cause; or unexplained economic or social behavior changes. VA will not deny a posttraumatic stress disorder claim that is based on in-service personal assault without first advising the claimant that evidence from sources other than the veteran's service records or evidence of behavior changes may constitute credible supporting evidence of the stressor and allowing him or her the opportunity to furnish this type of evidence or advise VA of potential sources of such evidence. VA may submit any evidence that it receives to an appropriate medical or mental health professional for an opinion as to whether it indicates that a personal assault occurred.")

δ. Veterans Health Admin., Dep't Veterans Aff., Top 10 Things All Healthcare & Service Professionals Should Know About VA Services for Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma, https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/top_10_public.pdf ("VA has specialized treatment programming available for MST survivors. VA facilities have providers knowledgeable about evidence-based mental health care for the aftereffects of MST. Many have specialized outpatient mental health services focusing on sexual trauma. Vet Centers also have specially trained sexual trauma counselors. ... Every VA facility has an MST Coordinator who serves as a point person for MST-related issues. He or she can tell you about treatment and other resources available in your area. Contact your local VA facility for more information.")

  - Mark D Worthen PsyD (talk) (I'm a man—traditional male pronouns are fine.) 17:32, 28 January 2020 (UTC)

"military sexual trauma" is only a U.S.-centric term if that phrase isn't used elsewhere in the world. It has a particular meaning in the US, but it has a natural-language meaning (at least) elsewhere in the world. I'm open to a range of possibilities;

1. leave alone (on the grounds that it is only a phrase used in the US and readers are unlikely to be confused)
2. a page move to a US-specific title to disambiguate, or
3. globalize.

It might be worth knowing whether the same phrase was used in other counties, and if so, whether the meaning was the same or different; I've had a brief search and can't find it clearly used elsewhere. I accept that the lede already implies the (US) scope. Perhaps #1 might work if there was an about hatnote directing readers to Sexual harassment in the military. Klbrain (talk) 18:57, 28 January 2020 (UTC)

I have to think on this. Flyer22 Frozen (talk) 22:10, 28 January 2020 (UTC)

But if we are clear that "military sexual trauma" is only a U.S.-centric term, I feel that we should leave the title alone and not have a "globalize" tag. This same thing applies to the Wardrobe malfunction article; see this discussion. Flyer22 Frozen (talk) 22:14, 28 January 2020 (UTC)

I like this idea, proposed by Klbrain: Retain the current article title on the grounds that it is only a phrase used in the US and readers are unlikely to be confused, and add a hatnote directing readers to Sexual harassment in the military. (Most of that is a direct quote from what Klbrain proposed. Credit where credit is due. :0)   - Mark D Worthen PsyD (talk) (I'm a man—traditional male pronouns are fine.) 14:40, 29 January 2020 (UTC)

• Short description - I created a short description for the article: "U.S. legal term for sexual assault or harassment during military service". If we find other nations using the identical term, and we expand the article accordingly, then we will change the short description, probably by simply removing "U.S. legal term for".   - Mark D Worthen PsyD (talk) (I'm a man—traditional male pronouns are fine.) 14:49, 29 January 2020 (UTC)

Thanks, all, for those views. I've withdrawn the Globalize template I places, and gone with a hatnote; feel free to change its wording! Klbrain (talk) 21:27, 29 January 2020 (UTC)

Resolved

This article is completely focused as to the US

So this article is about the US military and only the US military. Which is fine but it suffers from the possibility of representing a world view (that from the US). Due do this I propose the name should be changed to Military sexual trauma (US). This is a fairly simple point to explain the US is not the only organization with a Military and it the current article is generally reflective of a world view. Vallee01 (talk) 07:02, 7 September 2020 (UTC)

Vallee01, see what is stated in the #Globalize section above. What sources do you have about this topic that don't focus on the United States? The article already has the following hatnote: "This article is about Military sexual trauma in the United States. For similar trauma in other countries, see Sexual harassment in the military." And moving the article wouldn't solve anything since "Military sexual trauma" will still redirect here. Flyer22 Frozen (talk) 08:58, 7 September 2020 (UTC)