News
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."
Most Female Vets Feel Service Isn't Valued, Survey Finds
Monday, November 14, 2016 | Category: History/Heritage - National
A recent survey of 1000 enlisted and officer women veterans and servicewomen from 49 states was conducted by the Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) advocacy group. Article author Hope Hodge Seck noted: "Nearly three-quarters of respondents, 74 percent, said they believe their service isn't publicly recognized. They said they most wanted the public to know more about their leadership and contributions, their stories and experience, and the challenges they face. About two-thirds, or 68 percent, of respondents said the military was responsible for building this awareness, while more than half, or 57 percent, said they wanted veteran service organizations to tell their story. Among other dramatic findings was that 71 percent of those surveyed didn't belong to a veteran service organization, a possible symptom of a perceived disconnect between the male-focused community they offer and the needs of female veterans. One-third of survey respondents said that they actually didn't feel welcome in existing veteran service organizations, and more than half, 51 percent, said they hadn't been informed about membership opportunities for these organizations. But nearly all of those surveyed, or 97 percent, said they would welcome the opportunity to participate in an organization focused specifically on the issues facing female troops and women veterans. The survey also highlighted a broad perception among women who have served that the media and pop culture often got their story wrong." Judy Patterson, SWAN's CEO, said: "SWAN will be sharing the full data from this survey with a number of other veterans groups, and will be tailoring our efforts moving forward to ensure that the voices of all of these women are heard and heeded."
SWAN Releases 1st Annual Survey of Service Women & Women Veterans
Monday, November 14, 2016 | Category: Advocacy/Outreach - National
The Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) released its first annual "Survey of Service Women and Women Veterans" today. More than 1,200 people, including nearly 1,000 service women and women veterans of all ranks and services from all 50 states participated in the survey. Judy Patterson, the SWAN CEO, noted that they will be sharing the results with other veteran organizations. The survey will guide SWAN's future initiatives. The SWAN website notes: "The survey results were released during the first day of SWAN’s planning summit, which is bringing together a select group of service women, women veterans and subject matter experts to conduct deep dives into four categories that closely echo the survey: Service Women, Women Veterans, Public Education and Awareness, and Building a Sense of Community. The survey will be used to drive discussion and inform conclusions offered by the working groups during the planning summit." The survey broke out the top three 2016 personal and community challenges for service women and women veterans, provided additional insights regarding gender bias in the military, public awareness of service, media inclusion, and the need for stronger communities of women with military service.