MST Resources & Support

Whatever you need today, you don't have to find it alone.

This page isn't about paperwork. It's about people — the hotlines you can call right now, the free care that's already yours, the organizations doing real work for women who served, and the community of women who understand without needing it explained.

Everything here is help you can reach today. Take only what you need, and leave the rest for another day.

Here to start or fix a VA claim? The step-by-step how-to — markers, your personal statement, the C&P exam, appeals — lives on our VA Claims Guidance page. This page is for the support around it.

If you need to talk to someone now

These lines are free, confidential, and staffed by people trained for exactly this. You do not need to be in crisis to call — "I just need to talk" is reason enough.

DoD Safe Helpline — 877-995-5247. Anonymous, confidential support for the military community affected by sexual assault, available 24/7 worldwide by phone, text, and online chat. It's run by RAINN and is the one built specifically for MST.

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline — 800-656-HOPE (4673). 24/7 confidential support in English and Spanish, with the option to connect to local resources.

Veterans Crisis Line — 988, then press 1 (text 838255). 24/7 crisis support for veterans and their loved ones, whether or not you're enrolled in VA care.

If you're ever unsure which to call, start with the Safe Helpline. They can point you anywhere else you need to go.

Free care that's already yours

This is the part too many women are never told:

MST-related care from the VA is free — regardless of your discharge status, and regardless of whether your claim is service-connected. You do not have to win a claim, or even file one, to receive treatment for conditions related to MST.

Your VA MST Coordinator. Every VA facility has one — a free, confidential point of contact who can connect you to MST-related care and help you understand your options. You can ask for them by that title.

Vet Centers offer free, community-based counseling, often without VA enrollment, and are frequently staffed by fellow veterans who get it.

You are allowed to seek care for yourself right now, on its own — separate from any paperwork, claim, or proof.

When you're ready for the claim itself, the full step-by-step — what counts as evidence, how to write your statement, the exam, appeals — is waiting on our VA Claims Guidance page. No rush. It'll be there when you are.

Organizations that stand with women veterans

These are independent organizations doing real work for women who've served. I'm not affiliated with them — I'm simply pointing you toward good people. Reach out to whichever fits where you are.

SWAN — Service Women's Action Network. Advocacy and direct support around military sexual misconduct, including a free, confidential case manager who can connect you to vetted legal and mental-health resources. (Helpline: 888-502-8755.)

WoVeN — Women Veterans Network. Free, peer-led support groups that connect women veterans across every era and branch — a place to simply be understood.

Grace After Fire. Peer-to-peer support and wellness programs created specifically for women veterans, with some assistance resources.

Final Salute Inc. Safe, suitable housing and emergency support for women veterans facing homelessness or financial crisis.

Protect Our Defenders. A national organization focused on addressing sexual violence in the military and supporting survivors.

VA Women Veterans Call Center — 1-855-VA-WOMEN. Connects women veterans to VA services, benefits, and the resources available to them.

(We'll re-check these links and numbers regularly, but organizations and phone numbers do change — if you ever find a broken one, please let us know.)

Free help exists — and you should use it first

You never have to pay to have someone file or represent your VA claim. By law, accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representatives help with claims completely FREE, and they are not allowed to charge you.
Find an accredited representative through the VA's official directory at VA.gov, and you can verify anyone's accreditation before you sign anything — a simple step that protects you from "claim sharks."
Major VSOs — like DAV, VFW, the American Legion, and AMVETS — have service officers who help even if you're not a member.
Your VA MST Coordinator. Every VA facility has one: a free, confidential point of contact for MST-related claims and care. This is the door that finally opened for me.
Vet Centers offer free counseling, often without VA enrollment — and MST-related care from the VA is free regardless of your discharge status or whether your claim is service-connected.

Please lean on these. They're yours, and they cost nothing.

And when you're ready — a place that's just for us

Resources matter. But so does sitting in a room, even a virtual one, with women who don't need anything explained.

Our community is a free, private, trauma-informed space for women veterans who've experienced MST. No faces required, no pressure to share, no judgment — just understanding, on your terms. It's a place to ask the question you've been afraid to ask, to mark a hard anniversary among people who know, and to be reminded on a heavy day that you are not the only one.

Join the Sisterhood

You can come in quietly and just listen. That counts as showing up.