South OC Times

U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-40) has joined forces with Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Don Bacon (NE-02), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), and Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) to introduce a bipartisan resolution recognizing September 25 as Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Awareness Day.

Representative Kim participated in a Servicewomen and Women Veterans Caucus event on Wednesday alongside Reps. Houlahan, Brownley, and Budzinski to highlight MST Awareness Day and the newly introduced resolution.

Statistics indicate that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 50 men experience MST during their service, whether on active duty, Reserve, or National Guard. The resolution emphasizes Congress's commitment to supporting MST survivors and urges the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to enhance MST-related services.

"Our service members are heroes who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms we hold dear. We must do more to support those who have unfortunately faced military sexual trauma during their time in service," said Rep. Kim. "I am proud to help introduce this resolution to shine light on military sexual trauma survivors as we work on bipartisan solutions to expand access to services, uplift survivors, and eradicate MST once and for all."

Rep. Houlahan added her perspective: "Sexual assault has no place in our armed forces. The burden of fear — of assault, harassment, or exploitation — should never be a part of military service. We must work together to create an atmosphere where all service members can serve without this dread." She continued, "As a veteran who served in the military in the 1990s, I experienced firsthand the unique challenges many servicewomen face. I care deeply about this issue because everyone who puts on a uniform deserves to serve in a safe, respectful, and supportive environment. Bringing awareness is important, but this is the first step. We still have lots of work left to do."

In July, Rep. Kim introduced another bipartisan bill with Rep. Budzinski titled the Improving VA Training for Military Sexual Trauma Claims Act (H.R. 8879). This bill aims to improve training standards for contracted disability compensation examiners handling MST claims so that veterans filing such claims are not retraumatized during medical examinations.

The full text of the resolution can be accessed HERE.