The Prevalence of Military Sexual Trauma: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Due to methodological heterogeneity, the exact prevalence of military sexual trauma (MST) is unknown. To elucidate our understanding of the pervasiveness of this important social issue, a meta-analysis was conducted. A computerized database search in PsycINFO, PubMed, and PILOTS revealed 584 unique citations for review. Of these identified studies, 69 met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. The results revealed that 15.7% of military personnel and veterans report MST (3.9% of men, 38.4% of women) when the measure includes both harassment and assault. Additionally, 13.9% report MST (1.9% of men, 23.6% of women) when the measure assesses only assault and 31.2% report MST (8.9% of men, 52.5% of women) when the measure assesses only harassment. Regardless of the type of victimization incident (i.e., harassment or assault), women evidenced significantly larger prevalence rates compared to men. Self-report measure and interviews were associated with higher prevalence rates than the review of veterans affair (VA) medical records when measuring both harassment and assault and only harassment. No significant differences were observed among prevalence rates based on VA, non-VA, or both VA and non-VA recruitment. Ultimately, the findings suggest that MST is a pervasive problem, among both men and women in the military, highlighting the importance of this line of research.

Keywords: military; rape; sexual assault; sexual harassment; veterans.