Key takeaway
You were hurt during service, and you have been using alcohol or drugs to get through it. VA treats military sexual trauma as an experience, not a diagnosis. Related care can be free without a police report or a disability rating. Ask for the coordinator. Do not stop heavy drinking the night before the first appointment.
Last updated: Mon Oct 05 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
You were hurt during military service, and alcohol or drugs have been how you get through the day. You do not have to describe what happened to ask for care. Tell the registration desk you want care under a special treatment authority, then ask for the military sexual trauma coordinator. Do not stop heavy drinking the night before that appointment to look ready.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you are a Veteran in crisis, or you are worried about one, call 988 and press 1, or text 838255.
An experience, and care that does not require a report
VA uses military sexual trauma for sexual assault or sexual harassment during service, including sexual activity you could not refuse or were unable to say no to. Anyone can experience it. One effect VA names is alcohol or other drug use to numb feelings or to get away from them. That is a description of what some people do. It is not a treatment, and it is not true of every person.
The experience is not a diagnosis. Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and a substance use disorder are diagnoses a clinician makes. Why trauma and substance use are often treated together is in addiction and PTSD. A trauma-informed setting and trauma-specific therapy are different, in trauma and addiction.
Every VA health care facility has a coordinator who is the contact for these questions. You can ask to work with a male or a female clinician. Outpatient care can include assessment, medication, and individual or group therapy. Residential programs have separate sleeping areas for men and women. Some have separate programs. A private program's offer to bill VA is not an approval. Talk to the coordinator before you travel.
Which door, and who can see the record
Current service members, including National Guard and Reserve members, can get related counseling at Vet Centers with no Department of Defense referral. VA says those services are confidential with respect to the Department of Defense. Care at a VA medical facility generally requires a Department of Defense referral and TRICARE authorization, and records from those visits can be available to the Department of Defense through shared records. Ask which door you are using before you assume the record stays in one place. General TRICARE copays may apply at the medical facility.
Ordinary VA health care eligibility is stricter. Do not use those rules to talk yourself out of asking about this care, and do not assume a residential bill will be paid because this counseling is free. The stricter door is in veterans treatment options. Crisis lines and TRICARE for families are in military family addiction help. A spouse's coverage is not this benefit.
Cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement therapy are among the treatments VA names for substance use disorders related to this experience. Other therapies on that list are for PTSD. None of them is a worksheet to finish alone. VA also describes a free app, Beyond MST, as a private self-help tool. An app is not the clinical care, and it is not a crisis line.
Do not quit overnight to look ready
Using alcohol or drugs to numb fear can become its own problem, and stopping can be dangerous. A sudden stop after prolonged heavy drinking can be life-threatening. Why that stop belongs with a clinician is in detox at home versus medical care. Alcohol itself is on alcohol.
If the person who hurt you is still in the room, do not fold this into a joint counseling hour. Safety limits on that are in intimate partner violence and substance use. Military sexual trauma is not limited to women. Gender-responsive care in general is in women in rehab. It does not decide VA eligibility.
Search FindTreatment.gov if you also need a substance use program while you contact a coordinator. Call or text (800) 653-9376 if you want help finding that care.
Additional Resources
Sources cited on this page:
- VA Mental Health: Military sexual trauma, effects and resources (updated September 18, 2025)
- VA Mental Health: Military sexual trauma treatment and support
- Veterans Crisis Line
- NIAAA Core Resource: Alcohol Use Disorder, From Risk to Diagnosis to Recovery
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- SAMHSA FindTreatment.gov
Common Questions
What does VA mean by military sexual trauma?
VA says the term means sexual assault or sexual harassment during military service. It includes sexual activity during service that you were involved in against your will or when you were unable to say no. Examples include pressure or coercion, contact without consent, being forced, unwanted touching, and threatening sexual comments. It is an experience. It is not a diagnosis.
Do I have to prove it, or have reported it at the time, to get care?
No. Treatment for any physical or mental health condition related to military sexual trauma is free, no matter how long ago it happened. You do not need to have reported it when it happened, and you do not need documentation that it occurred. A service-connected disability rating is not required. Standard length-of-service rules do not apply to this care. Some people may qualify even when they are not eligible for other VA health care.
Why does substance use show up here?
VA lists alcohol or other drug use to numb or escape negative feelings among the effects people may have, along with disturbing memories, trouble feeling safe, depression, isolation, anger, sleep problems, and physical health problems. Those are possible effects, not a finding about every person. VA names cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement therapy for substance use disorders among treatments it offers.
Is this the same as regular VA substance use benefits?
No. Ordinary VA health care eligibility is stricter. Military sexual trauma care has its own rules, including free care without a disability rating. TRICARE and family coverage are a different door. Do not assume one approval opens the others, and do not use the stricter rules to talk yourself out of asking.
Will command see the record?
It depends on the door. Current service members can get related counseling at Vet Centers with no Department of Defense referral, and VA says those services are confidential with respect to the Department of Defense. Care at a VA medical facility generally requires a Department of Defense referral and TRICARE authorization. Records from those medical-facility visits can be available to the Department of Defense. Ask the clinic that will actually see you.