In honor of Veterans Day, LAist’s daily news program AirTalk, which airs on 89.3 FM, has highlighted a handful of issues within the veteran community. On Friday, guest host Julia Paskin spoke with a panel of expert guests about the biggest challenges facing veterans who are women.
Women can feel isolated
Women make up about 17% of the active duty force in the military and only about 10% of veterans, according to the Department of Defense. That can be an isolating experience that extends to the transition into civilian life.
“I’ve talked with women who have to constantly defend their veteran status when they get out of the military,” said Sonner Kehrt, a veteran and investigative reporter for nonprofit newsroom The War Horse. “Being front and center as a woman who served can be sort of a unique experience.”
Sexual assault has gotten worse
Reports of sexual assault cases have consistently gone up for more than a decade. More than 8% of women reported incidents in 2021, according to data presented by the DoD in April. And The Military Times reported that surveys show more people are choosing not to report incidents.
The Department of Defense released its Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military back in April.
The U.S. Department of Defense )
Incidents of sexual trauma can affect physical, mental and emotional health, but bias and…
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