The military environment: Risk factors for women's non-fatal assaults

Little is known regarding environmental exposures for non-fatal violence to ward women in the workplace, We sought to identify factors associated with non-fatal physical assault occurring to women during military service, A cr oss-sectional telephone survey of a national sample of 558 women veterans w ho served in Vietnam and subsequent eras of military service was conducted; 537 women were interviewed. Twenty-three percent experienced non-fatal phy sical assault during military service. Rates of assault were consistent acr oss eras of service. Military environmental exposures, including sexual har assment allowed by officers (P < 0.0001) and unwanted sexual advances while on duty (P < .0001) and in sleeping quarters (P < 0.0001), were independen t risk factors for assault, Environmental factors in the military workplace , including leadership, behavior appeared to promote violence toward milita ry women. Such occupational factors can be identified and should be elimina ted.