Dr. Debra Houry here. I'll be online July 29th to discuss Sexual Violence and the Power of Prevention. What questions do you have?
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
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
Violence Prevention in Practice | VetoViolence
Take action to prevent violence today.
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.
Providing schools and communities with programs and prevention strategies that address sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, bullying, and stalking.
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?
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.