Date of Conferral

1-6-2026

Date of Award

1-6-2026

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisor

Barbara Benoliel

Abstract

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides free healthcare related to those who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST); however, many female veterans either go without or delay accessing such care. This generic qualitative study was conducted to answer the research question about the reasons behind female veterans’ decisions to seek or not seek VHA services following the experiences of MST. The framework for this study was Wollstonecraft’s feminist theory. An additional question was how, if at all, the stigma of MST and the military’s male-dominated culture play a role in the reporting of these incidents. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using thematic content analysis. The findings were that female veterans who had experienced MST delayed seeking treatment, felt blamed when sought treatment, preferred to go to a private care facility for treatment as an alternative to the VA, and felt the providers in both the VA and the community healthcare setting were not sufficiently trauma informed. This study contributes to positive social change by advocating for greater focus on female veterans’ mental well-being and the development of more efficient and effective services within the VHA.

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