You think you might not be heard. Speak anyway. – Maya Angelou
Advocacy efforts for MST have created tremendous change. Advocates support survivors, raise awareness, and push for systematic changes. Below are a few key organizations:
Protect Our Defenders: “Protect Our Defenders (POD) is the pre-eminent national human rights organization dedicated to ending sexual violence, victim retaliation, misogyny, sexual prejudice, and racism in the military and combating a culture that has allowed it to persist.”
Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN) “Through legislative advocacy and research, SWAN has played a major role in opening all military jobs to service women, holding sex offenders accountable in the military justice system, eliminating barriers to disability claims for those who have experienced military sexual trauma, and expanding access to a broad range of reproductive healthcare services for military women.”
Military Sexual Trauma Movement (MSTM) – Founder Janelle Marina Mendez Viera “Has advocated for issues such as better healthcare, welfare, and policy reform for victims of military sexual trauma and protection for LGBTQ+ veterans Méndez Viera has organized, led protests, and sit-ins in New York and Washington D.C. She has traveled throughout the United States and gave speeches surrounding the topic of military sexual trauma, most notably in Texas, Washington D.C. and New York. She has also written columns for publication on this topic for publications such as the Poughkeepsie Journal.
In addition to their advocacy efforts, these organizations offer a range of services. Check websites for help with legal assistance, education resources, counseling, and support groups.
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