“I almost feel like it’s not valid because I’m not missing a limb, and I never had to kill anybody.”
“One of my female roommates she hung herself when we got back because it was just too much.”
- Female soldiers have experienced moral injury
- There are gender differences between male and female veterans’ experiences
September 6, 2022 Wingate NC. Moral injury occurs when individuals experience a traumatic event or situation that shakes them to their core and profoundly violates their sense of right and wrong. Originally this term was coined to explain what happens to a soldier’s soul because of killing in combat or otherwise violating military rules of engagement. Subsequently, many have come to see that moral injury can also occur through a variety of other experiences while serving in the United States military, including sexual assault, gender harassment, retaliation for reporting violations of regulations, and other disturbing events. The resulting trauma has significant effects on female soldiers and veterans, and research shows that there is a strong connection between moral injury and suicide, homelessness, substance use disorder, and physical and psychological disorders.
Moral Injury Support Network for Servicewomen (MISNS, pronounced “missions”) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation based in North Carolina, home of 8 military bases and 720,000 veterans. The purpose of this network is to provide support to women veterans, current servicewomen, and families suffering from moral injury, or MI. Moral Injury Support Network for Servicewomen does this by conducting groundbreaking research and educating community support providers (psychologists, social workers, community health providers, and non-profit groups) on the effects and treatment mechanisms of MI, and also by providing direct support of female veterans through the Tubman Chaplain Network, a dedicated group of women chaplains.
This organization exists to transform the lives of millions of women veterans and families affected by moral injury. MISNS believes that effective support to the morally injured could go a long way toward eliminating veteran suicide. The reach of this mission extends beyond the United States and includes both veterans and support providers in Canada, the U.K., and New Zealand.
On October 12, 2022, Dr. Roberts, the President and CEO of MISNS will give a presentation for Wingate University entitled “Recovering from Moral Injury: Interventions that Heal.” The session will occur on a virtual platform. Dr. Roberts will also answer questions from students and faculty during the one hour session.
Media Contact
Susan Sganga
Public Relations Specialist
susans@chaplainconsultants.com
