Paula Anderson, wrapped in plastic trash bags to keep dry, leaves an event held for homeless veterans. When Paula told her army commander that she had been drugged and raped by a fellow soldier, she was shipped off to Korea. Her army career lasted six years, but her MST has followed her for 20 years. She became homeless in February 2015, after her release following 17 months in jail.

Natasha Schuette (21) was pressured not to report being assaulted by her drill sergeant during basic training, at Fort Jackson North Carolina. She refused to back down. Staff Sergeant Louis Corral is now serving four years in prison for assaulting her and four other female trainees. The US Army rewarded Natasha for her courage in reporting her assault, and the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Prevention office distributed a training video featuring her story. She is now stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Former US Marine Sarah Jenkins, under the influence of drugs, accepts a food parcel from a National Veterans Foundation outreach van.

Debra Filter was raped with several other recruits at a boot camp graduation party they were forced to attend in 1978. For a long time she suffered from PTSD, and eventually left the army. She has been homeless for ten years and wrangling with Veterans Affairs for benefits for decades, but now has a VA housing voucher for a studio apartment.

Army veteran Wilma M. Herndon watches TV in her room at Mary Walker House, which offers accommodation to homeless women veterans. She was married to another soldier, who beat and sexually assaulted her. Wilma confided in her First Sergeant, who did nothing to stop her abuser, so she turned to drugs and drinking to feel better.

Off-duty servicemen meet women at local bars outside Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. Drinking culture is strong in the US Armed Forces.

Dr Nancy Lutwak, a US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) emergency room physician in New York City, began screening patients for military sexual assault, and has opened a safe room for women to reveal their MST, and then health care and counselling.

Brittany Fintel was attacked by her Lead Petty Officer while stationed on the USS Grindley. Another sailor witnessed the attack, but turned and left as she was fighting off her attacker. When Brittany reported the attack, she was told she had an ‘adjustment disorder’, and eventually separated from the navy with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Her experience shattered her sense of trust, and now her PTSD service dog is never far from her side.

Connie Sue Foss was raped three times during a seven-year military career. She suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and finds it difficult to hold down a job and care for herself and her daughter. She bears scars from punching a window during a PTSD episode, and holds a molar she lost from grinding her teeth at night.

Connie Sue Foss went to sleep after a Christmas party at her National Guard unit. She woke to find a fellow guardsman had tied her down and was assaulting her. Connie retreats into her own thoughts, while her daughter hovers near the bathroom door of their apartment.

Elisha Morrow and Tiffany Berkland were sexually harassed by the same company commander during basic training for the coastguard. Elisha thought about faking suicide to get away from him. They did not report the harassment for fear of being kicked out, but came forward when they met a third victim. When their case went to trial, they met a fourth young woman who had recently been raped by the same company commander, and felt guilty not having come forward sooner. They sit in their hotel room after attending the Truth and Justice Summit on MST in Washington, DC.

Nancy Schuette was sexually assaulted by her drill sergeant during basic training, and was harassed by other sergeants after reporting it. Staff Sergeant Louis Corral was sentenced to four years in prison for assaulting her and four other female trainees. She is now stationed at Fort Brag, North Carolina. She is a loner, and suffers with PTSD.

Melissa Bania hangs a banner inscribed with the story of her rape on a footbridge across from Naval Station San Diego, in California. MST survivors had gathered in San Diego to bring attention to rape in the US military.

Jennifer Norris was drugged and raped by her recruiter after joining the Air Force, when she was 21 years old. In tech school, she fought off an assault from her instructor, and later evaded the advances of her commanders. Jennifer reported the sexual assaults and harassment, saw her attackers punished, but then suffered a sustained campaign of retaliation by her peers at work. Now she suffers with PTSD brought on by MST and is often unable to work. She has become an advocate and is the Maine coordinator for the Military Rape Crisis Center, counseling MST survivors from her home in Rumford, Maine. She sits with her PTSD service dog Onyx at a fellow military rape survivor's home in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Jennifer Norris and Jessica Hinves smoke and discuss their experiences of sexual assault late into the night, at Jessica's home in Biloxi, Mississippi. Jennifer was drugged and raped by her recruiter after joining the US Air Force, when she was 21 years old. Jessica was an Air Force fighter jet mechanic, when a member of her squadron at Nellis Air Force Base raped her. The case against her rapist was thrown out the day before the trial was to begin.

Jennifer Norris, who was drugged and raped by her recruiter after joining the Air Force, testifies on Capitol Hill before a sparsely attended House Armed Services Committee hearing. The session was held to discuss sexual misconduct by basic training instructors at the Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

Jennifer Norris is comforted by Nancy Parrish, president of Protect Our Defenders, after testifying before a sparsely attended House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, held to discuss sexual misconduct by basic training instructors at the Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

Gary Noling holds his daughter Carrie’s journal, on the anniversary of her suicide. Carrie Goodwin drank herself to death following severe retaliation after reporting her rape to her US Marine commanders. Gary did not know Carrie had been raped until after her death.

Gary Noling stands in his daughter Carrie’s bedroom, on the anniversary of her suicide. She drank herself to death following severe retaliation after reporting her rape to superiors.

Veteran Darlene Matthews has been living in her car for more than two years, while she waits for a housing voucher from the VA. Darlene joined the military in 1976, to escape an abusive home life, but was upset to discover that the army was not a safe place. After her discharge, she became depressed, and her life went into a downward spiral.

Veteran Darlene Matthews has been living in her car for more than two years, while she waits for a housing voucher from the VA. Darlene joined the military in 1976, to escape an abusive home life, but was upset to discover that the army was not a safe place. After her discharge, she became depressed, and her life went into a downward spiral. She parks her car beside a graveyard and keeps her belongings in storage.

Sandra Sherman (51) had been in the army only a few weeks when she was drugged and raped at a party. She was also raped by a fellow soldier at her next duty station. After leaving the army she felt emotionally numb, began to hallucinate, could not work and became homeless, eventually calling a crisis line and finding help. Sandra was transferred to Naomi House, transition housing for homeless women veterans, run by the Salvation Army. She and other veterans salute the color guard at an event for homeless veterans in LA, which gives them medicine, housing services, and a chance to replenish.

Melissa A. Ramon cries in the waiting room of an event held to offer safe retreat for homeless veterans. Melissa spent nine years in the Air Force, and suffers from MST and PTSD after sexual abuse from her training instructor and fellow airmen. Since her discharge, she has sought help from the VA and several veteran NGOs, but feels they keep denying her claims, and putting up obstacles. Melissa has frequently been homeless, and has trouble finding shelter because women’s refuges don’t allow boys over 12, and she has a 13-year-old son. She moves with her son, Sam, from one unsuitable motel to another.

Melissa A. Ramon moves with her thirteen-year-old son Sam into a motel she calls ‘The Jungle’. Melissa spent nine years in the Air Force, and suffers from MST and PTSD after sexual abuse from her training instructor and fellow airmen. Since her discharge, she has sought help from the VA and several veteran NGOs, but feels they keep denying her claims, and putting up obstacles. Melissa has frequently been homeless, and has trouble finding shelter because women’s refuges don’t allow boys over 12. She moves with Sam from one unsuitable motel to another.

In yet another new motel room, Melissa A. Ramon clutches her air-force uniform, under the watchful eye of her dog, Princess. Melissa spent nine years in the air force, and suffers from MST and PTSD after sexual abuse from her training instructor and fellow airmen. Since her discharge, she has sought help from the VA and several veteran NGOs, but feels they keep denying her claims, and putting up obstacles. Melissa has frequently been homeless, and has trouble finding shelter because women’s refuges don’t allow boys over 12, and her son, Sam, is thirteen. She moves with Sam from one unsuitable motel to another.

Melissa A. Ramon moves with her 13-year-old son Sam into a motel she calls ‘The Jungle’. Melissa spent nine years in the Air Force, and suffers from MST and PTSD after sexual abuse from her training instructor and fellow airmen. Since her discharge, she has sought help from the VA and several veteran NGOs, but feels they keep denying her claims, and putting up obstacles. Melissa has frequently been homeless, and has trouble finding shelter because women’s refuges don’t allow boys over 12. She moves with Sam from one unsuitable motel to another.

Karen Scott was raped several times while on active service, and sexually harassed. She was later given a personality disorder discharge, and became homeless. Karen sought help through the VA for medical treatment, mental health services, and shelter she could afford. She is on a cocktail of drugs prescribed by the VA. Karen now lives in rent-assisted accommodation, but is in constant fear that the VA will withdraw her housing voucher.

Karen Scott was raped several times while on active service, and sexually harassed. She was later given a personality disorder discharge, and became homeless. Karen sought help through the VA for medical treatment, mental health services, and shelter she could afford. She is on a cocktail of drugs prescribed by the VA. Karen now lives in rent-assisted accommodation, but is in constant fear that the VA will withdraw her housing voucher. She sleeps in a crowded room, with a portable toilet because she is too weak to get to the bathroom in time.

Alishaa Dell (25) spent five years in the navy. She is still not ready to discuss her MST. Homeless, she lives off a $600 disability check from the VA, and stayed with a succession of friends, until wearing out her welcome each time. Now she lives with a boyfriend, who she wants to break up with. But, Alishaa says, she has nowhere else to go, and is seeking housing and medical help from the VA.

Paula Anderson (left) and Patricia Butts (right) hold hands during a serenity prayer, at the conclusion of an event held for homeless veterans. When Paula told her army commander that she had been drugged and raped by a fellow soldier, she was shipped off to Korea. Her army career lasted six years, but her MST has followed her for 20 years. She became homeless in February 2015, after her release following 17 months in jail. Patricia was a young soldier stationed in Fort Devens, Massachusetts, in 1979, when she witnessed a steady campaign of rape within her unit. After three years, she could no longer cope with military life and was honorably discharged. Diagnosed with PTSD, she has been homeless off and on since 1981.

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