ABSTRACT
No matter what happens, don’t ever give up. (A survivor of rape and sexual harassment in the military)
Even though there may be times when you feel like you are alone in this, remember that you are not alone. Even though there may be times when others call you a liar, remember that you are not a liar. Even though there may be times when you wonder if you will ever move beyond this, remember that you will survive and thrive and go on with your life. (Vet, but no longer a victim)
The victims who participated in this study willingly shared their insights and the lessons learned from their experiences. Many of them wanted to give advice on what should be done to make things better. Some of them needed to talk about the trauma they endured in hopes that it would not be repeated with anyone else. Most of them, however, wanted to pass along some words of wisdom to others who might face this issue in the service. The majority of these comments were heartfelt with a keen awareness of the difficulties ahead. Although their advice was directed toward other victims, anyone who works with service members who have been raped or harassed, especially military leaders, can gain important insight from their perspectives.
