Rising Up to Support Military Sexual Trauma Survivors
April 10 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CDT
Subtitle for This Block
Military sexual trauma (MST), defined as sexual harassment and assault experienced during military service, has wide-ranging effects on survivors. Not only is MST frequently unreported within military and veteran communities, but spouses, family members, friends, and clinicians may be unsure as to how to help survivors deal with the effects of MST. During this EmpowerEd session, you will learn about MST, hear about the Rising Up research project engaging MST survivors and practitioners, and identify strategies to support MST survivors on their healing journey.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the prevalence and effects of MST
- Learn about the Rising Up study of MST survivors, practitioners, and clinician-researchers
- Identify ways to support MST survivors
About the Speakers:
Dr. Leanne Knobloch is a professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on how military families communicate across the deployment cycle. Since 2020, she has been conducting research on military sexual trauma (MST) as part of a team funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Her work has been honored by the Golden Anniversary Monograph Award from the National Communication Association, the Biennial Article Award from the International Association for Relationship Research, and the Fellow Award from the International Communication Association.
Ms. Abbie Holland Schmit is an Army Veteran and MST survivor who has served in Veteran leadership and advocacy roles since 2005. She worked for several years as the Senior Director of Women’s Programs for Illinois Joining Forces, and she has served as National Director of Dryhootch of America, a nonprofit organization based in Milwaukee, WI that provides counseling for Veterans suffering from PTSD and substance abuse. She also has worked as the Veteran Program Director for Safer Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to provide holistic assistance for justice-involved veterans. Since 2020, she has served as the project ambassador for a project on MST funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).
Complement Peer Support Event
A complimentary peer support event will be offered on Fri April 11, 2025 at12 pm CT for individuals to process what they learned and discuss how to support individuals dealing with MST. Participants are encouraged to attend the EmpowerED and peer support events, but it is not required. Register HERE.
About EmpowerED:
EmpowerED strives to empower through education, offering topic-driven seminars, led by experts in the field to arm military and veteran families with the information and resources they need.
Eligibility:
This event is open to anyone connected to the larger military and veteran-connected community.
Joining the Event:
- Please join from a quiet, distraction-free location for the best experience.
- Attendees arriving more than 15 minutes late may not be admitted to avoid disruptions.
- Once registered, you’ll receive a Zoom invite to join via computer, tablet, or phone. You can also access the Zoom link by clicking the “View the event” button in your order confirmation email or selecting “Access this event” on the event page.
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