Dr. Elena Klaw

 Film: Service: When Women Come Marching
Home
 Unique challenges
 Reasons women warriors may not seek help

 Equipment not built for women’s bodies-more back and foot problems as a result
 Lack of safe, sanitary conditions for service women to deal with relieving themselves, menstruation, or pregnancy
 Role conflicts, especially for warriors who are mothers
 Single parenting for moms or dads, more poverty, lack of appropriate family services for homeless families
 No credit or recognition from public, isolation, stigma
 Male dominated environments: women face sexual harassment and military sexual trauma, higher likelihood of PTSD
 Lack of female centered health resources

 Don’t want to seem weak
 Lack of recognition of the reality of their service in the VA and validity of PTSD
 Family caretaking responsibilities
 Don’t want to worry other people
 Isolated from mostly male vet groups; don’t want male dominated environments