News
IAVA "She Who Borne the Battle Campaign"
Monday, March 20, 2017 | Category: Advocacy/Outreach - National
The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America veteran service organization launched their "She who Borne the Battle" campaign on March 20, 2017 to recognize and improve services for women with military service. Their effort is a 4-phased initiative that includes securing sponsors for the Deborah Sampson Act (S. 681).
Women's History Month 2017
Wednesday, March 1, 2017 | Category: History/Heritage - National
The Department of Defense "Women's History Month" site offers information about women serving in the U.S. military.
Protect Our Defenders Released 2017 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military
Wednesday, March 1, 2017 | Category: Sexual Harassment/Assault/Trauma - National
Protect Our Defenders (POD) recently released its 2017 Annual Report, “Harnessing This Tipping Point Moment.” POD states:
“2017 was a pivotal year in the movement to hold perpetrators accountable for sexual violence. More and more survivors came forward and the public listened in a way it hadn’t in the past. As the #MeToo movement grew, so did our national outrage. From Hollywood to the halls of Congress, sexual predators were beginning to at last be exposed and held to account. These institutions had no choice but to respond to public pressure. But while the culture of silence and denial was broken for many, military service members are legally silenced, giving up their freedoms to protect ours.”
POD, established on 2011, is a human rights organization founded and dedicated solely to raise awareness and prevent sexual harassment and violence within the United States military. They pursue change through individual advocacy, public education, and congressional legislative actions.
The Path Home for Women Veterans (Article 4 of 4-part Series About Women Veteran Homelessness)
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 | Category: Housing/Experiencing Homelessness - National
This article is the fourth (bonus) article in a four-part series titled "Coming Out of the Shadows: Women Veterans and Homelessness," offering more insights and connections to resources. It focuses on the differences between female and male veterans' circumstances leading to unstable housing and/or homelessness (why and when) and their choices once in need of housing. Also addressed are the current challenges of tracking homeless veterans within federal, state, and community institutions, which adversely impacts accurate collection of data. Without a clear understanding of the prevalence of veteran homelessness, funding and services will not follow. Because homeless women veterans do not typically present in the same service provider venues as homeless male veterans, they are less likely to be accounted for and served. Understanding that navigating housing resources continues to be a major barrier, the author of this series provided a housing locator tool (WomenVeteransHousing.com) specific to women veterans with the capacity to add housing information. Other resources are also posted on this site. Many helpful references are linked in this article.
The links to the three articles preceding this fourth "bonus" article, are noted in the last paragraph of this article.
Coming Out of the Shadows: Women Veterans and Homelessness
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 | Category: Housing/Experiencing Homelessness - National
The four-part series titled "Coming Out of the Shadows: Women Veterans and Homelessness" introduces readers to women who volunteered to serve in the military and who at differing points in their lives experienced homelessness. The links to the three articles preceding this fourth "bonus" article, are noted in the last paragraph of this article.
Root causes are explored, agency knowledge and accountability examined, support services highlighted, and pragmatic resources and research references linked, offering valuable insight to potential prevention and intervention opportunities. The author found that there are differences between female and male veterans' circumstances leading to unstable housing and/or homelessness (why and when) and their remediation choices once in need of housing. There are ongoing challenges with accounting for and tracking homeless veterans within federal, state, and community institutions, adversely impacting accurate collection of data. Because homeless women veterans do not typically present in the same service provider venues as homeless male veterans, they are less likely to be accounted for and served. Without a clear understanding of the prevalence of veteran homelessness, funding and services will not follow. Finding housing alternatives continues to be a major barrier.
A housing locator tool is embedded in the fourth article of this series (WomenVeteransHousing.com) specific to women veterans. Information about housing resources can be submitted online.
Camaraderie Offsets Trauma for Women Veterans (Article 3 of 4-part Series About Women Veteran Homelessness)
Tuesday, February 14, 2017 | Category: Housing/Experiencing Homelessness - National
In the third article of this 4-part series, the power of women veterans' peer networks is examined. The "Women Veterans Collaborative" in Los Angeles, California, is an active team of women veterans whose "shoe leather" approach means getting out and about and connecting women veterans experiencing homelessness with services. Their bond is a common mission through action and camaraderie.
A significant percentage of homeless veterans, female and male, are trauma survivors. An "alarming rate" homeless female veterans are military sexual assault and trauma survivors. It is commonly the "elephant in the room" when working with homeless veterans. Male veterans' response to this trauma differs from female veterans. The prevalence of recurring trauma in homeless women veterans' lives is considered "abnormally high." The challenge for those trying to assist is building trust and that is often through camaraderie.
The first two articles of this 4-part series are linked in the last paragraph of this article.
Collins Advocates for Improved Neonatal VA Benefits
Wednesday, February 8, 2017 | Category: Health Care - National
Newborn medical care within the Department of Veterans Affairs would be extended if H.R. 907, the Newborn Care Improvement Act, introduced by Congressman Doug Collins (R-Ga.) is passed. "Currently, female veterans can receive up to 42 days of post-delivery care from the VA, while their infants are limited to seven days of medical care. Veterans may face medical challenges linked to their service, including high-risk pregnancies. For example, females who give birth within a year of being affected by PTSD are 35% more likely to deliver prematurely, and that means greater health risks for their children."
Into the Gap: Women Veterans Describe Homelessness (Article 2 of 4-Part Series About Women Veteran Homelessness)
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 | Category: Housing/Experiencing Homelessness - National
This article is the second in a four-part series titled "Coming Out of the Shadows: Women Veterans and Homelessness." It explores why women veterans experiencing homelessness are under-represented in homeless person counts, published statistics, and related reports. It suggests they often remain "in the shadows" because they do not present in "typical" homeless settings, but instead, "couch surf/double up" with friends and family as long as they can (off-the-books kin network more common to women), stay in cars, and/or remain in relationships characterized by domestic violence amongst other arrangements. These unstable housing situations are not, by agency definition, necessarily considered as homelessness in federal agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs, a result of the 1987 McKinley-Vento Act and a 2009 update. A lack of transparency in data, "catastrophically" impacts the availability of funding, and therefore, services. Of particular interest is the shared and posted survey results that include personal comments from women veterans who experienced homelessness. They represent all military service branches, differing lengths is service and age groups with all indicating similar experiences. Other related references are linked.
G.I. Jane Needs A Place to Sleep (Article 1 of 4-part Series About Women Veteran Homelessness)
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 | Category: Housing/Experiencing Homelessness - National
This article is the first in a four-part series titled "Coming Out of the Shadows: Women Veterans and Homelessness." It explores why women veterans experiencing homelessness are under-represented in homeless person counts, published statistics, and related reports. It suggests they often remain "in the shadows" because they do not present in "typical" homeless settings, but instead, "couch surf/double up" with friends and family as long as they can, stay in cars, and/or remain in relationships characterized by domestic violence amongst other arrangements. These unstable housing situations are not, by agency definition derived from law, necessarily considered as homelessness in federal agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Amongst root causes of their homelessness, military sexual trauma is considered a prevalent factor. In comparison with male homeless veterans, women veterans are more often single parents with children who do not want to lose custody of their children.
VA Report: The Past, Present and Future of Women Veterans (February 2017)
Tuesday, January 31, 2017 | Category: Advocacy/Outreach - National
The Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics released this February 2017 report: "The Past, Present and Future of Women Veterans."