VA hospital working to raise awareness for military sexual trauma

IRON MOUNTAIN — April is National Sexual Assault Awareness month. The Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain is using this month to raise awareness for veterans that are survivors of military sexual trauma.

Over 15 males have reported MST this year alone. MST affects all different types of backgrounds and gender.

“In our facility in the second quarter of the year of 2018, we had 16 males that reported MST. They thought they were alone and they are not, they couldn’t believe that this has happened to other men,” Sarita Gruszynski, Military Sexual Abuse Trauma Coordinator at the VA Hospital.

The VA hospital offers all different kinds of support groups that are specifically geared for male veterans who are survivors of sexual trauma.

On April 24th, the hospital will be doing a Wear Teal day to raise awareness for veterans that are survivors of MST.