No Price Too High: Justice for Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma

A Betrayal That Breaks the Heart

They pledged their lives to defend us, but for too many veterans, the greatest danger came from within their own ranks. Military Sexual Trauma (MST)—rape, assault, harassment—inflicts wounds that bleed invisibly: PTSD, depression, broken trust, and futures stolen. These heroes, who carried our flag into battle, deserve more than silence. They deserve justice, healing, and a nation that fights for them.

The Veteran Restitution and Justice Act (H.R. 6023), introduced in 2023 by Congressman Carbajal, was a beacon of hope, promising retroactive benefits for veterans suffering from MST-related mental health conditions. Congress let it die, but we won’t let this fight fade. We demand Congress reintroduce and pass this legislation—now. Join us. Be the voice that turns betrayal into justice.

The Truth We Must Face

MST is a hidden epidemic. One in three women and one in fifty men in the military report sexual trauma, yet most suffer in silence, stifled by fear, shame, or retaliation. Their pain shatters careers, fractures families, and haunts their every step. This isn’t just a personal tragedy—it’s a national failure. When we abandon MST survivors, we abandon the values we claim to defend.

What This Legislation Will Achieve

•  Retroactive Benefits: Amend title 38 to provide disability compensation for MST-related mental health conditions, effective from the date of discharge. This delivers financial support to survivors who’ve been denied for years, sometimes decades.

•  Dignity and Accountability: This bill honors survivors’ pain, validates their courage, and declares that sexual assault in the military is intolerable.

•  A Safer Military: By supporting survivors, we rebuild trust, ensuring every service member knows they’ll be protected—not betrayed—by the institution they serve.

“Too Expensive”? A Lie We Reject

The loudest excuse is “it’s too much money.” Let’s cut through the noise. The U.S. spends $877 billion a year on defense—jets, missiles, and contracts—yet we’re told we can’t afford to care for the veterans who paid the human cost? The VA’s 2025 budget is $339 billion, but MST survivors are left begging for justice. Retroactive benefits might cost $1–2 billion over a decade—a fraction of the $1.7 trillion in tax cuts handed to corporations in 2017 or the $150 billion we spend annually on foreign aid and corporate subsidies.

Think about that: we’ll spend $25 billion on a single aircraft carrier, but hesitate to fund healing for survivors of military rape? That’s not a budget problem—it’s a priorities problem. Every dollar for MST survivors is an investment in trust, honor, and a stronger military. Saying “it’s too expensive” is saying their sacrifice isn’t worth it. That’s not just wrong—it’s a disgrace. If we can afford war, we can afford justice.

Why This Is Our Fight

•  A Debt We Owe: A nation that sends its people to war must stand by them when they return—especially when the wounds come from within.

•  A Promise to Tomorrow: Every parent, sibling, or friend considering military service for their loved one needs to know they’ll be safe from betrayal.

•  No Other Path: The Feres Doctrine bars survivors from suing the military for negligence. This legislation is their only hope for accountability.

A Plea That Hits Home

Close your eyes and imagine your child, your sibling, your best friend enlisting with pride, only to be assaulted in the place they trusted most. The trauma rips their life apart: they lose their job, battle nightmares, and need therapy for years. If a college let this happen, you’d demand justice. But in the military, survivors are too often silenced, their pain buried under red tape. This bill is their lifeline—a chance to heal, to rebuild, to know their country has their back. Don’t let “too expensive” erase their hope.

You Hold the Power

You can change lives. You can reshape the military. Here’s how:

•  Sign the Petition: Demand Congress reintroduce and pass the Veteran Restitution and Justice Act. Your signature is a battle cry for justice.
[Sign here: https://www.change.org/p/support-hr-6023-veteran-restitution-and-justice-act-for-military-sexual-trauma-survivors

•  Call Congress: Ask your representatives and senators, “Will you fight for MST survivors?” Find them at [www.congress.gov/contact-us Make them answer.

•  Spread the Fire: Share this petition on social media, in veterans’ groups, at your church, your workplace, everywhere. Use #JusticeForMST to ignite a movement. Post it. Tweet it. Shout it.

The Moment Is Now

Our veterans didn’t hesitate when we called. We can’t hesitate now. By fighting for this legislation, we honor their sacrifice, heal their wounds, and build a military where trust and safety triumph. Every day we delay, another survivor struggles alone.

Will you let excuses win? Sign the petition. Call Congress. Share this cause. Together, we’ll prove that justice for MST survivors isn’t a cost—it’s our duty. Thank you for standing with those who stood for us.