Senate Dems demand VA disability for sexual assault victims

A group of Senate Democrats demanded President Obama issue rules allowing military sexual assault victims to receive medical care and disability compensation for mental health conditions.

“We urge your administration to reconsider the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) recent denial of a petition to promulgate a rule governing disability compensation for mental health conditions incurred as a result of military sexual trauma,” senators wrote.

{mosads}Sens. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) led the effort in sending a letter to the president on Thursday.

“The psychological effects of sexual violence persist long after a service member has left active duty, and many cases of sexual assault do not produce the same evidence or documentation as other traumatic events experienced by military personnel,” the senators wrote. “We believe current VA standards regarding evidence required to prove an occurrence of military sexual trauma fail to sufficiently take these basic facts into account when determining eligibility for benefits and services for survivors of military sexual trauma.”

The letter was prompted by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ decision to not issue the rules. The Democratic senators said without new rules, military sexual assault victims will see their claims denied for medical issues related to the violent acts, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

“VA adjudicators are not accurately and consistently applying VA regulations regarding the evidence required for a finding of military sexual trauma,” the letter stated. “As a result, adjudicators are disproportionately denying PTSD claims related to military sexual trauma.”

Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) also signed the letter.