VeTALKX: Bystander Intervention Techniques Q&A. Ask Questions Now about Assault and Harassment

2023-04-05T15:46:18-04:00

On April 28th, 1-2 PM ET, VA and community experts will be here to answer your questions on bystander intervention techniques and available VA resources. Learn what to do if you witness harassment or sexual assault. Type your questions in now!

You can ask questions to the following people:
» CPO Missina Schallus - Communications Manager, Center for Women Veterans, VA
» Jennifer Knetig - National Program Manager, VA (Megabus)
» LeAnn Bruce - National Program Manager, VA (IPVAP)
» Erinn Izykowski - Program Specialist, VHA Assault and Harassment Prevention Office
» Gina Baumgartner - Program Specialist, VHA Assault and Harassment Prevention Office
» Maria Shores - Program Specialist, VHA Assault and Harassment Prevention Office
» Tisha Petelo - Program Specialist, VHA Assault and Harassment Prevention Office

» Help to keep VA environment safe and welcoming. Learn how to recognize and respond to harassment or sexual assault.
» Go to http://www.veterantraining.va.gov/bystandertraining. Be sure to get your certificate of completion.
» The VA is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment at every VA facility. We thank all Veterans for their service to our nation and for their commitment to a safe and welcoming VA.

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Response by Maj Kim Patterson made Apr 5 at 2023 3:47 PM

2023-04-05T15:47:14-04:00

So far I have seen a lot of talk but fail to see any action. #metoo

Response by Cpl N Murphy made Apr 12 at 2023 7:35 PM

2023-04-12T19:35:50-04:00

I'd love to know when the VA will start supporting female vets that have already suffered through harassment and sexual abuse. I have been denied care from the VA for 3 years for refusing to wear a mask, a personal decision that is directly related to PTSD from MST. And no, I don't want to hear the VA rhetoric about building up a mask tolerance, that's triggering and very dehumanizing. I've also been denied maternity care for home birth after two traumatizing hospital births. Sexual abuse survivors should be given more options to accommodate and support their mental health.

The VA makes a lot of statements affirming their support of female vets and accommodations their specific needs but I have yet to be supported by the VA. When will the VA listen to female vets and support them in a helpful and respectful way?

Response by PO3 Dan Patterson made Apr 12 at 2023 9:07 PM

2023-04-12T21:07:11-04:00

Not really sure it's a question but more related to the way VA handles MST. They tell you they do everything so you don't have to go through the trauma again, this is a bunch of bull. My personal experience of having to talk to at least 11 people within the VA and 4 outside doctors says different.

Response by PO3 D B made Apr 13 at 2023 2:03 AM

2023-04-13T02:03:23-04:00

I have been getting sex trafficked by catholic charities shelter and by staff members of catholic charities office va coordinator and shelter employees and long term residents of catholic charities shelter.in flagstaff az

Response by Sgt Rachel Brown-Ford made Apr 13 at 2023 3:49 AM

2023-04-13T03:49:13-04:00

I was injured in the line of duty. The medical provide who was supposed to treat me, sexually assaulted me five ties. When I reported him, I was told that is just who he is and I did not have to return - even though he ordered me to do so. When it became to much to bear, I became negative & depressed. I was give a label of Personality Disorder & discharged. The civilan psychiatrist labeled me with bipolar disrder - he was rerired military. For over 30-years I took psych meds & became very ill because they were inappropriately prescribed. As a reired mental health supervisor I know I have PTSD due to MST. I refuse to go through the VAs archiac traumatizing panel interview to prove I was a vicitim of MST. The couselor the VA gave me access to was rarely available and did not like what I wanted to discuss - unless it was graphic details of rape & sodomy. The system is not set up to help most MST survivors - let alone someone who was diagnosed in 1984. I sill have night terror & can physically feel what happened. And according to several young women who are active duty, nothing has changed all that much. I use VA Martinez, VA Fairfield & VA Mather (California) but cannot get the support I need to live out the rest of my life in peace. Who should an old vet talk to?

Response by PO3 Jordan Miller made Apr 13 at 2023 8:31 AM

2023-04-13T08:31:47-04:00

Aside from how sexual assault is handled while on active duty, why aren’t VA call center employees better trained on verbiage? I had a VA call center employee tell me they are deciding if my assault was “relevant”.

I still haven’t emotionally recovered from it, the trauma that sentenced caused me is unfathomable. I feel like I need to file a claim for filing a claim. The VA did nothing for me even when I talked to them about this.

Never mind I’ve been waiting almost a year for my claim and when I asked someone at the call center if there was someone available to help me get things moving she said “oh my god seriously?”.

I’m sorry but the VA needs to review their employment requirements and training.

Response by SN Tonya Walker made Apr 13 at 2023 11:07 AM

2023-04-13T11:07:46-04:00

I Tonya Walker a navy veteran has been through a horrible experience with the milledgeville ga VA clinic and Mrs Wiggins denied healthcare services in my community. Not treated like a veteran. Told director Manuel davilla Carl Vinson VA clinic in Dublin ga. Nothing was done.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 13 at 2023 4:15 PM

2023-04-13T16:15:30-04:00

How can we get someone from the VA to speak on SHARP issues. I am a VA for a unit and really would love for someone to visit the unit and do some training with my soldiers as well as get new information for myself as a Victim's Advocate.

Response by PO1 Jami Bullock made Apr 15 at 2023 4:19 PM

2023-04-15T16:19:01-04:00

As a veteran with PTSD due to MST, I fully understand that we need not blame victims. In an effort to avoid that, I have seen a lot of responsibility placed on bystanders and fault placed on the perpetrator - that I also understand. However, properly educating potential victims should also be occuring. I feel like we tip-toe around this because we don't want to be accused of blaming the victim for other people's actions, but that's not what I'm suggesting. We say things like it doesn't matter that the victim was drunk or what they were wearing or what they did beforehand - and that is all correct. Rape is rape and the perpetrator is guilty regardless - however, I do believe that in most cases for adults, had the victim been more aware of their surroundings and actions, the sexual assault could have been avoided. Again, I am not saying it is the victim's responsibility to control the perpetrators actions. However, just as bystanders have a responsibility to their fellow man and we are asking them to modify their behavior to intervene, I don't see how it is unreasonable to ask potential victims to modify their behavior to keep themself safe as well. We do lots of training for bystanders... Why are we so afraid to train men and women on how to mitigate risky situations better? Why not teach self sense, as one example? We do a lot of training on reporting things because we know that victims of sexual assault are less likely to report... Why are we not doing more training on prevention from the victims perspective?
I understand that not all situations have any precursors. These are not the situations I am addressing.
Those are my questions.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Apr 16 at 2023 11:43 AM

2023-04-16T11:43:26-04:00

thanks for sharing

Response by A1C Shelbey Hinkelmann made Apr 16 at 2023 4:28 PM

2023-04-16T16:28:27-04:00

Why is it that every MST claim submitted to the VA appears to get denied? I have a number of veteran friends who have submitted claims and no matter how detailed they are in their claim, denied. A number of these women were asked to submit to physical examinations prior to denial. ALL of those women refused an exam, but why should they have to go through all that when they can give complete details of the assault. Regardless of whether they were asked for an exam or not, all were denied. What's the point of having a MST designation and compensation when the women offended must be reoffended by the VA to try to get compensation. #metoo

Response by SGT Ruben Lozada made Apr 17 at 2023 1:00 PM

2023-04-17T13:00:39-04:00

Good afternoon. Excellent post. Thank You for sharing this.

Response by Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth made Apr 17 at 2023 9:02 PM

2023-04-17T21:02:24-04:00

Yep...won't be there...can't stand the VA!!!

Response by PO3 Jordan Miller made Apr 18 at 2023 10:42 AM

2023-04-18T10:42:32-04:00

What types of training is being implemented other than virtual click through trainings? How are we going to evolve and respond without new up to date trainings?

When was the training last updated and what specific changes were made?

How often is training on SA awareness and prevention, what does the outline of that look like? What is the requirements to “complete” the training?

Response by PO3 James Heine made Apr 18 at 2023 10:56 AM

2023-04-18T10:56:07-04:00

We need to have better/stronger definitions for what MST/rape is as well as treatment for it. The American public just loves to PRETEND and keep everything out of sight. And victim-blame/shame. There's a lot of talk but not enough action. It happens to BOTH sexes.

Response by A1C Shelbey Hinkelmann made Apr 25 at 2023 3:49 PM

2023-04-25T15:49:55-04:00

I'm a Vietnam Era veteran who has been waiting 48 years for help. I used my free community sexual trauma organization to help me the best they could. They tried to help but couldn't understand that the military would treat our soldiers, sailors and airmen that way. My 1st visit to my local VA after the recognition of MST they asked if I was an MST survivor. Both the female nurse and male doctor asked. I answered in the affirmative both times. Yet, when I got a new nurse practitioner 3 years later, there was NO mention of this in my VA medical file. Since I have been reoffended by a manager (at the same time I was filing my claim), I am NOT going to go before a panel to tell them what I have already laid out in great detail. An MST claim should be processed with all expediency for ALL veterans who can give the details of their assault(s).I recently talked to a fellow female veteran who never realized she had been sexually harassed. Her unit men had repeatedly harassed her by putting her in chairs and spinning them around till she couldn't walk, pushing women in closets and locking the doors with no lights on, and many other things. She's just now realizing that this was sexual harassment of the women in the unit.

Response by PO3 Marykatherine Moran made Apr 26 at 2023 8:18 PM

2023-04-26T20:18:26-04:00

Can’t seem to join this training. I get the message ‘404 page not found’ when I try. Just like the va ‘mst help not found’.

Response by Gina Baumgartner made Apr 28 at 2023 11:52 AM

2023-04-28T11:52:44-04:00

Hello, Everyone.

Just wanted to share that VA uses various training modalities to provide education to employees and Veterans. In September 2021, VA began offering an online skill-building bystander intervention technique training for Veterans, caregivers, and visitors:

https://www.va.gov/STOP-HARASSMENT/bystander-intervention-techniques.asp

VA.gov | Veterans Affairs

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Response by CPO Missina Schallus made Apr 28 at 2023 12:57 PM

2023-04-28T12:57:37-04:00

Hello everyone and thank you for being here. I am Missina Schallus, the Comms Manager in the Center for Women Veterans and a Navy Vet. Happy to help you.

Response by Erinn Izykowski made Apr 28 at 2023 1:07 PM

2023-04-28T13:07:40-04:00

Hello and thank you for joining- I am Erinn Izykowski and support the VHA Assault and Harassment Prevention Office (AHPO). I appreciate all stories that have been shared, I recognize how difficult it can be to share. Please feel free to visit our website https://www.va.gov/STOP-HARASSMENT/FindingCareAndSupport.asp

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Response by Gina Baumgartner made Apr 28 at 2023 1:09 PM

2023-04-28T13:09:05-04:00

Hello, Everyone. I am Gina Baumgartner, and I work in VHA's Assault and Harassment Prevention Office. Thank you for joining us today.

Response by LeAnn Bruce made Apr 28 at 2023 1:09 PM

2023-04-28T13:09:32-04:00

Greetings!
I am Dr LeAnn Bruce, the National Program Manager for the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program (IPVAP). IPVAP's mission is to foster relationship health and safety through offering training, education, awareness and intervention for eligible Veterans who wish to improve their relationships or who are impacted or at-risk for intimate partner violence. It is a pleasure to be here to answer your questions. For additional information on our programs, or to find contact in formation for your local IPVAP Coordinator - go to http://www.socialwork.va.gov/IPV/Index.asp

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Response by PO3 Matthew Campbell made Apr 28 at 2023 1:15 PM

2023-04-28T13:15:25-04:00

Check it out!
VA WELCOME KIT! https://www.va.gov/welcome-kit/
Subscribe to VA News! https://www.va.gov/vetresources/
VA Hotline [login to see] (24/7 access to a live agent)
Are you in crisis? Call our NEW Veterans Crisis Line # 988 Press 1

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Response by Jennifer Knetig made Apr 28 at 2023 1:18 PM

2023-04-28T13:18:41-04:00

Hello all! My name is Jenny Knetig, I am a clinical psychologist with the VA, and I am the National Program Manager for the Megabus 5304 pilot program. I am happy to be here to share about the work we are doing at VA to improve care for Veterans affected by trauma.

For your awareness, the "Megabus" is a 2-year pilot exploring how we take care of Veterans who have, or are experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) or sexual assault (SA). The VHA Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program (IPVAP) selected ten VA sites for the pilot, and we are looking at all aspects of what care means, including clinical services, connecting Veterans with emergency housing, benefits, emergency financial assistance and community resources for those experiencing IPV and SA. A focus of our pilot is on how we are serving Veterans in more rural areas, and in historically underserved communities.

We are working with our ten sites to examine how to best reach our Veterans, how to get them into care, and we are talking to Veterans at all ten sites to get their feedback. We are collecting and analyzing data from the pilot, and will be writing a report for Congress, due next March.

We appreciate you being here today as you share some of your questions, and will do our best to answer and to help. Take care

Response by Gina Baumgartner made Apr 28 at 2023 1:19 PM

2023-04-28T13:19:10-04:00

Hello!
Does anyone have any questions or stories that they would like to share about bystander invention or bystander intervention training? Here is the link to the training for Veterans, visitors, caregivers: https://www.va.gov/STOP-HARASSMENT/bystander-intervention-techniques.asp

VA.gov | Veterans Affairs

Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

Response by PO3 Matthew Campbell made Apr 28 at 2023 1:24 PM

2023-04-28T13:24:19-04:00

Did you serve or do you know of a woman Veteran who served? Learn more about what earned benefits and services are available to you! VA offers benefits, services, and programs such as:

Benefits, including:

Service-Connected Disability Compensation
Home loans
Readiness and employment services
Small business programs with initiatives specifically for women Veteran-owned small businesses
Burial (including pre-need eligibility)
Life insurance
Transition and economic development
Education and training
Pension for Veterans and survivors
Health care, including:

Specialized care for women Veterans
Military Sexual Harassment, Assault or Rape (Military Sexual Trauma)
Maternity care
PACT Act

Apply now for benefits and health care. Do you still have questions? Contact us at [login to see] , call or text the Women Veterans Call Center at [login to see]

Response by PO3 Matthew Campbell made Apr 28 at 2023 1:32 PM

2023-04-28T13:32:39-04:00

Did you know?? 1-800-MyVA411 is a national, toll-free number that serves as a “front door” to VA. available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week—simplifies and improves customer access to VA through a single, easy-to-remember phone number. Callers can also press Option 9 to connect directly with a VA service recovery specialist to share concerns, offer recommendations, or ask questions. In addition, the Veterans Crisis Line is always available 24/7 at [login to see] and pressing 1, by Chat, or by Texting 838255. You can also call the White House VA Hotline at [login to see] to share your compliments or concerns.

Response by PO3 Matthew Campbell made Apr 28 at 2023 1:59 PM

2023-04-28T13:59:23-04:00

As we wind down our hour together I just want to take the time to say THANK YOU to every single Veteran that joined us. Thank you to those that shared personal stories and asked your question. I also want to thank all our VA and Community Experts for taking time out of your day to help answer questions. THANK YOU!!

Response by Gina Baumgartner made Apr 28 at 2023 1:59 PM

2023-04-28T13:59:42-04:00

This Bystander Intervention Training:
- is free
- is online
- requires no registration
- takes about 30 minutes to complete
- can be accessed from a computer, smartphone or tablet
https://www.va.gov/STOP-HARASSMENT/bystander-intervention-techniques.asp
Take it and get your certificate of completion today.

VA.gov | Veterans Affairs

Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

Response by Erinn Izykowski made Apr 28 at 2023 2:02 PM

2023-04-28T14:02:42-04:00

Thank you for joining the session!
VA is dedicated to a safe, welcoming and inclusive environments for all who enter. We demonstrate this commitment by taking the White Ribbon VA pledge. White Ribbon VA is a national call to action to eliminate sexual harassment, sexual assault, and domestic violence across the Department of Veterans Affairs by promoting a positive change in culture so that the actions outlined in the pledge become the organizational norm. White Ribbon VA is an awareness movement where All—regardless of their gender—can participate. We invite you to join us in making a pledge to stop violence against others and to symbolically wear the white ribbon.
White Ribbon VA Pledge:

I, (your name), pledge to never commit, excuse or stay silent about sexual harassment, sexual assault or domestic violence against others.

You can learn more about White Ribbon VA at https://www.va.gov/health/harassment-free/

VA.gov | Veterans Affairs

Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.