I’m a firm believer that it does not have to be a special holiday to commemorate things. Why wait until Thanksgiving to tell your family how thankful you are for them? Why wait until Black History Month to celebrate your heritage? And why wait until the 4th of July to recognize our veterans? People seem to forget that women serve and protect our country as well. Female veterans are important, and are often overlooked.
Like men, women are going to basic training, handling weapons, on the field, or behind the computers doing analytics in the forces. Unfortunately, female veterans face the highest percentage of homelessness when they return from serving. Male returnees fall victim to homelessness because of substance abuse and mental illness, but according to the New York Times, women face those problems and military sexual trauma, or M.S.T., from assaults or harassment during their service, which can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. Any woman recovering from sexual assault is hard enough, but the additional pressure of entering into a male-dominated work force, can make the situation more challenging for women.
Many of these victims stay quiet about their assaults. Instead, letting it eat away at them on the inside, and turning to drugs and alcohol for some sort of comfort. They cannot escape what they’ve experienced and as a result, many find themselves homeless, without jobs, and unable to come to terms with their feelings. To keep this from turning into a pandemic, numerous non-profits have been created so that women can seek refuge and treatment at certain centers to help with recovery. It has even called the attention of the White House, who has given millions of dollars to voucher programs for both men and women. Females, the minority of the forces, make up 13 percent of those receiving vouchers. While national holidays can be an opportunity to recognize something important, (it is Sexual Assault Awareness Month) it shouldn’t just stop when the day or month is over. Female veterans need your support. They proudly answered the call to duty, and they should not be harassed or punished for it because of their gender.