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Dr. Debra Houry here. I'll be online July 29th to discuss Sexual Violence and the Power of Prevention. What questions do you have?
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CDC’s Acting Principal Deputy Director, Dr. Debra Houry will be here on July 29th from 3 - 4PM ET to answer your questions about Sexual Violence and the Power of Prevention.
Debra Houry, MD, MPH, is the Acting Principal Deputy Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She previously served as the Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she led innovative research and science-based programs to prevent injuries and violence and to reduce their consequences. Dr. Houry has also served as an associate professor at Emory University and emergency physician at Grady Memorial Hospital. She has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters on injury prevention and violence. She has received many national awards, including the first Linda Saltzman Memorial Intimate Partner Violence Researcher Award from the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma, and the Academy of Women in Academic Emergency Medicine’s Researcher Award. Dr. Houry was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine, which is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. Recently, Dr. Houry served as the Prevention Co-Lead for the Department of Defense’s 2021 Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military Structure and Membership.
Dr. Houry will be answering questions about sexual violence among the active duty military and Veteran communities as well in the United States more generally. Dr. Houry will also answer questions about the power of prevention and how we all play a role in preventing sexual violence before it happens.
Sexual violence is a significant problem in the United States. Sexual violence refers to sexual activity when consent is not obtained or not given freely. Sexual violence impacts every community and affects people of all genders, sexual orientations, and ages. Anyone can experience or perpetrate sexual violence. The perpetrator of sexual violence is usually someone the victim knows, such as a friend, current or former intimate partner, coworker, neighbor, or family member. Sexual violence can occur in person, online, or through technology, such as posting or sharing sexual pictures of someone without their consent, or non-consensual sexting. Military sexual trauma (MST) includes sexual assault or sexual harassment experienced during military service.
Sexual violence, including MST, impacts health in many ways and can lead to short- and long-term physical and mental health problems. This is why CDC focuses on preventing sexual violence before it happens. Changing social norms, teaching skills, empowering communities, and creating protective environments can help prevent sexual violence. We all have a role to play in prevention.
* Resources for Immediate Assistance *
Safe Helpline:
https://safehelpline.org/
National Domestic Violence Hotline:
https://www.thehotline.org/
RAINN:
https://www.rainn.org/get-help
Strong Hearts Native Helpline:
https://strongheartshelpline.org/
* Additional Resources *
CDC’s ‘What is Sexual Violence?’ Video:
https://youtu.be/LWctQH4C0P8 [En Español: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GoFqgAuc1Q]
CDC’s Sexual Violence overview:
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/index.html
CDC’s STOP SV- A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/prevention.html
CDC’s Sexual Violence Media Guide: https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/sites/all/themes/veto_bootstrap/assets/sexual violence-landing/SEXUAL VIOLENCE-MediaGuide-508c.pdf
Department of Veteran’s Affairs:
https://www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/military-sexual-trauma/
Department of Defense:
https://dod.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/0416_sexual-assault-awareness-and-prevention/
Department of Defense’s Independent Review Commission Recommendations on Countering Sexual Assault in the Military:
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2681145/independent-review-commission-recommendations-on-countering-sexual-assault-in-t/
National Sexual Violence Resource Center:
https://www.nsexual violencerc.org/
Futures Without Violence:
https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/
Raliance:
https://www.raliance.org/
PreventConnect:
http://www.preventconnect.org/
Prevention Institute:
https://preventioninstitute.org/publications/health-equity-approach-preventing-sexual-violence
Debra Houry, MD, MPH, is the Acting Principal Deputy Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She previously served as the Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she led innovative research and science-based programs to prevent injuries and violence and to reduce their consequences. Dr. Houry has also served as an associate professor at Emory University and emergency physician at Grady Memorial Hospital. She has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters on injury prevention and violence. She has received many national awards, including the first Linda Saltzman Memorial Intimate Partner Violence Researcher Award from the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma, and the Academy of Women in Academic Emergency Medicine’s Researcher Award. Dr. Houry was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine, which is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. Recently, Dr. Houry served as the Prevention Co-Lead for the Department of Defense’s 2021 Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military Structure and Membership.
Dr. Houry will be answering questions about sexual violence among the active duty military and Veteran communities as well in the United States more generally. Dr. Houry will also answer questions about the power of prevention and how we all play a role in preventing sexual violence before it happens.
Sexual violence is a significant problem in the United States. Sexual violence refers to sexual activity when consent is not obtained or not given freely. Sexual violence impacts every community and affects people of all genders, sexual orientations, and ages. Anyone can experience or perpetrate sexual violence. The perpetrator of sexual violence is usually someone the victim knows, such as a friend, current or former intimate partner, coworker, neighbor, or family member. Sexual violence can occur in person, online, or through technology, such as posting or sharing sexual pictures of someone without their consent, or non-consensual sexting. Military sexual trauma (MST) includes sexual assault or sexual harassment experienced during military service.
Sexual violence, including MST, impacts health in many ways and can lead to short- and long-term physical and mental health problems. This is why CDC focuses on preventing sexual violence before it happens. Changing social norms, teaching skills, empowering communities, and creating protective environments can help prevent sexual violence. We all have a role to play in prevention.
* Resources for Immediate Assistance *
Safe Helpline:
https://safehelpline.org/
National Domestic Violence Hotline:
https://www.thehotline.org/
RAINN:
https://www.rainn.org/get-help
Strong Hearts Native Helpline:
https://strongheartshelpline.org/
* Additional Resources *
CDC’s ‘What is Sexual Violence?’ Video:
https://youtu.be/LWctQH4C0P8 [En Español: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GoFqgAuc1Q]
CDC’s Sexual Violence overview:
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/index.html
CDC’s STOP SV- A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/prevention.html
CDC’s Sexual Violence Media Guide: https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/sites/all/themes/veto_bootstrap/assets/sexual violence-landing/SEXUAL VIOLENCE-MediaGuide-508c.pdf
Department of Veteran’s Affairs:
https://www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/military-sexual-trauma/
Department of Defense:
https://dod.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/0416_sexual-assault-awareness-and-prevention/
Department of Defense’s Independent Review Commission Recommendations on Countering Sexual Assault in the Military:
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2681145/independent-review-commission-recommendations-on-countering-sexual-assault-in-t/
National Sexual Violence Resource Center:
https://www.nsexual violencerc.org/
Futures Without Violence:
https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/
Raliance:
https://www.raliance.org/
PreventConnect:
http://www.preventconnect.org/
Prevention Institute:
https://preventioninstitute.org/publications/health-equity-approach-preventing-sexual-violence
Military Sexual Trauma (MST)
PTSD
Mental Health
Career Advice
Military Life
Edited 3 y ago
Responses: 12
Debra Houry
PVT Mark Zehner Thank you for joining the chat!
You mean marital rape? Let's not dance around the issue. No means no. Salesmen learn that every no is a maybe, but not with the unwilling.
Debra Houry
CWO3 (Join to see) Thanks for your comment. Yes, marital rape is one form of sexual violence—as is any sexual contact without freely given consent.
Debra Houry Thank you for joining us to discuss such an important issue as this. We often interact with servicemembers, veterans, and family members on RallyPoint talking about their personal challenges with sexual abuse for themselves or their loved ones but they are reluctant to raise it to their chain of command or struggle with how to deal with it after they get out of the military. What advice do you have for those of us who have no clinical training on this issue but want to help one of our peers who shares such challenges and also wants 100% confidentiality while trying to figure out what to do?
Debra Houry
CPT David Gowel Thanks for this excellent question. One of the most important ways you can help a family member, friend, or colleague who discloses their sexual assault experience to you is to listen and to believe them, and to honor their trust. You can help them find the support and resources they need through military resources or in the community, even if they choose not to report or to remain anonymous. A helpful guide from the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape provides some additional tips and information that can help you be an ally, supporter, and part of the solution (see National Sexual Violence Resource Center "How to Help" website). Similar resources may be available from your local VA as well.
Debra Houry
Friends and family members of survivors of sexual violence often want to help a survivor through her or his experiencebut don’t know how. The resources below provide advice for friends and family about how to provide support without unintentionally increasing the stress that survivors experience, or otherwise doing harm.
Debra Houry - Thanks for taking the time to answer questions from the RallyPoint community! How has COVID-19 impacted rates of sexual violence and intimate partner violence?
Debra Houry
SrA (Join to see) We do not yet have national data on rates of sexual violence in the past year. However, emerging qualitative data, as well as data from police and hospitals, suggests that the stress and isolation many experienced as a result of COVID-19 and mitigation strategies may have increased the risk for and rates of intimate partner violence in the past year, likely including partner sexual violence. Survivors also experienced many challenges as a result of the pandemic that made it more difficult to seek and receive the help they needed, but many agencies that support survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence have found innovative ways to reach those at risk and continue to offer services. CDC is currently funding research that will help us learn from these experiences and develop best practices to ensure those at risk for violence can access preventative and response services they need in future public health and natural disasters—and to increase equitable access to resources and services for those who experience violence during the current pandemic.
How long will you carry the experience and the decisions made by it into your future and future sexual relationships?
Debra Houry
PFC Donnie Harold Harris Survivors of sexual violence can experience substantial and long-term effects on their physical and mental health, and in their relationships. But when survivors receive the care, support, and justice they deserve, these long-term effects can be minimized and they can live healthy, productive lives with positive, supportive relationships.
PFC Donnie Harold Harris
Justice is like physical therapy, if done and done to completion you become almost whole.
Thank you for all the impactful work you do! What steps should a civilian supporter take to help a loved one struggling to cope with the trauma of assault?
Debra Houry
Sydney Glynn Thanks for this excellent question. One of the most important ways you can help a family member, friend, or colleague who discloses their sexual assault experience to you is to listen and to believe them, and to honor their trust. You can help them find the support and resources they need through military resources or in the community, even if they choose not to report or to remain anonymous. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center has a “How to Help a Survivor”, posted below. Similar resources may be available from your SAPR office as well.
Debra Houry
Friends and family members of survivors of sexual violence often want to help a survivor through her or his experiencebut don’t know how. The resources below provide advice for friends and family about how to provide support without unintentionally increasing the stress that survivors experience, or otherwise doing harm.
Thank you for taking the time to answer questions on this important topic. We’ve seen the lasting impact that generational predators in power have had on the women’s gymnastics team. Assault is always a traumatic thing to speak about privately let alone report it especially when it involves higher ups. What advice do you give to young women in the military who have either witnessed or been subjected to sexual assault by someone in power?
Debra Houry
Sexual violence survivors may have many different ways of dealing with sexual violence experiences and trauma; some of these stories are available from the RAINN “Survivor Stories” linked below.
One of the most important ways you can help a family member, friend, or colleague who discloses their sexual assault experience to you is to listen and to believe them, and to honor their trust. You can help them find the support and resources they need through military resources or in the community, even if they choose not to report or to remain anonymous. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center has a “How to Help a Survivor”, posted below. Similar resources may be available from your SAPR office as well.
The STOP SV: A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence includes several strategies that can help address the structural power differentials that can exacerbate the impacts of victims of sexual violence. These include strategies to provide opportunities to empower and support girls and women, promoting social norms that protect against violence, such as bystander programs that encourage everyone to stand up and speak out against violence, and creating protective environments, including through workplace sexual harassment prevention; and supports victims/survivors to lessen harms. To see a full list of evidence-informed strategies and the approaches that fall within each strategy, please visit CDC’s website below.
One of the most important ways you can help a family member, friend, or colleague who discloses their sexual assault experience to you is to listen and to believe them, and to honor their trust. You can help them find the support and resources they need through military resources or in the community, even if they choose not to report or to remain anonymous. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center has a “How to Help a Survivor”, posted below. Similar resources may be available from your SAPR office as well.
The STOP SV: A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence includes several strategies that can help address the structural power differentials that can exacerbate the impacts of victims of sexual violence. These include strategies to provide opportunities to empower and support girls and women, promoting social norms that protect against violence, such as bystander programs that encourage everyone to stand up and speak out against violence, and creating protective environments, including through workplace sexual harassment prevention; and supports victims/survivors to lessen harms. To see a full list of evidence-informed strategies and the approaches that fall within each strategy, please visit CDC’s website below.
Debra Houry
Bobbie grew up in a strange world. Abuse was a regular occurrence. It was like an open secret – something known but not directly dealt with – and often explained as “just the way it is.”
Debra Houry
Friends and family members of survivors of sexual violence often want to help a survivor through her or his experiencebut don’t know how. The resources below provide advice for friends and family about how to provide support without unintentionally increasing the stress that survivors experience, or otherwise doing harm.
Debra Houry
Prevention Strategies|Sexual Violence|Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC
Sexual violence (SV) is a serious problem that can have lasting, harmful effects on victims and their family, friends, and communities. CDC’s goal is to stop SV from happening in the first place. The solutions are just as complex as the problem.
What kind of resources does CDC have to help communities implement sexual violence prevention?
Debra Houry
CDC developed a resource, STOP SV: A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence, to help communities take advantage of the best available evidence to prevent sexual violence. This resource is available in English and Spanish and can impact individual behaviors and the relationship, family, school, community, and societal factors that influence the risk and protective factors for violence. You can access it below.
Debra Houry
Prevention Strategies|Sexual Violence|Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC
Sexual violence (SV) is a serious problem that can have lasting, harmful effects on victims and their family, friends, and communities. CDC’s goal is to stop SV from happening in the first place. The solutions are just as complex as the problem.
Debra Houry
We also have this tool at CDC, Violence Prevention in Practice, that can help communities implement these prevention strategies: https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/violence-prevention-practice/
Violence Prevention in Practice | VetoViolence
Take action to prevent violence today.
Debra Houry
Prevention Strategies|Sexual Violence|Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC
Sexual violence (SV) is a serious problem that can have lasting, harmful effects on victims and their family, friends, and communities. CDC’s goal is to stop SV from happening in the first place. The solutions are just as complex as the problem.
SGT Elizabeth Hoo
Debra Houry Can you provide an example of how one of these sexual violence prevention strategies might work in the military?
Debra Houry
SGT Elizabeth Hoo - One way that communities, like the military, can promote social norms that protect against violence is through evidence-based bystander approaches. Bystander approaches work by empowering people to intervene in their peer groups by speaking up against sexist language or behaviors that promote violence, reinforcing positive social norms, and offering help or support in situations where violence may occur or has occurred. One bystander intervention, known as the Green Dot program, was rolled out in the Air Force. You can learn more about the Green Dot program at the link below.
Debra Houry
Providing schools and communities with programs and prevention strategies that address sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, bullying, and stalking.
Men tend to not report incidents of sexual violence (harassment, rape, and molestation) out of fear of being seen as less by their peers. With the repeal of DADT and the open recruitment of gays and TG's into the military [where they are given a somewhat protected status as well as influence that is felt well beyond their actual numbers in society (~1.6%-)], what impact has that had on the number of reported AND UNREPORTED incidents of violence against straight males/females by members of the LGBTQ+ community? One can only imagine that it would increase as we bring more LBGTQ+ people into the military, that these numbers would go up. Is it worth the risk and additional expense?
Also, what impact does it have on morale? In combat, is it fair to the straight males who are going without, to have two gay guys in the unit who are getting their needs met in the field? And would it impact judgment? You see two men injured and one of them is your lover, but his wounds are life-threatening but less severe... Do you tend to him first?
I have to wonder if taxpayers are getting the best bang for the buck because of all the extra logistics and expense of incorporating gender-fluid individuals in our armed forces... people who require hormone therapy, mental health issues, etc. < things that are much more prevalent in the LGBTQ+ crowd. Your thoughts?
Also, what impact does it have on morale? In combat, is it fair to the straight males who are going without, to have two gay guys in the unit who are getting their needs met in the field? And would it impact judgment? You see two men injured and one of them is your lover, but his wounds are life-threatening but less severe... Do you tend to him first?
I have to wonder if taxpayers are getting the best bang for the buck because of all the extra logistics and expense of incorporating gender-fluid individuals in our armed forces... people who require hormone therapy, mental health issues, etc. < things that are much more prevalent in the LGBTQ+ crowd. Your thoughts?
Debra Houry
Capt Jeff S. Thank you for your queries. As you mention, sexual violence is underreported, which poses challenges for prevention. Gay and bisexual men experience sexual assault at a rate nine times higher than heterosexual men in the military; lesbian and bisexual Service women are sexually assaulted at double the rate of heterosexual Service women. Prevention efforts to protect all service members, including those who identify as LGBTQ+, are critical to the safety, health, and readiness of the force. On July 2nd, the Department of Defense released the Secretary of Defense’s guidance on, and the recommendations from, the Independent Review Commission (IRC) on Sexual Assault in the Military. That report includes a cross-cutting recommendation to “improve data collection, research, and reporting on sexual harassment and sexual assault to better reflect the experiences of Service members from marginalized populations—including LGBTQ+ Service members, and racial and ethnic minorities.” The full report is available here: https://media.defense.gov/2021/Jul/02/ [login to see] /-1/-1/0/IRC-FULL-REPORT-FINAL-1923-7-1-21.PDF/IRC-FULL-REPORT-FINAL-1923-7-1-21.PDF.
Capt Jeff S.
Debra Houry - With all due respect, that sounded like a commercial for the LGBTQ+ community. You didn't really address the subject of the LGBTQ+ members and the increase in assaults against the straight members in the military. And might the assaults on the LGBTQ+ members be in response to unwanted advances or attempted molestation?
When I was a department head, I had a female come up to me and complain that she was being groped while she slept by her roommate, who was a lesbian. Just saying... She asked her to stop, but the fact she had to ask is a problem.
When I was a department head, I had a female come up to me and complain that she was being groped while she slept by her roommate, who was a lesbian. Just saying... She asked her to stop, but the fact she had to ask is a problem.
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