Critical Conversations: A restorative engagement initiative for people with lived experience of military sexual trauma

LAY SUMMARY The current study involved interviews people with lived experience of military sexual trauma (MST) who met with Canadian Armed Forces leadership to share their stories with the goal of improving the institution’s response to incidences of MST. The findings explore future pathways that these types of sessions might hold for recovery. Introduction: Military sexual trauma (MST) affects many Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel and Veterans, with thousands of individuals reporting military sexual misconduct and resultant MST at some time in their career. The current study involved interviews with Veterans who were survivors of MST (people with lived experience [PWLE]) who met with CAF leadership to discuss the impact of MST on their lives. This provided a forum to share their stories with the goal of improving the institution’s response to MST, ultimately influencing cultural change in the CAF. Methods: PWLE who participated in these meetings, dubbed Critical Conversations, with CAF leadership were interviewed. Directed content analysis and inductive analysis were used to explore the experiences of PWLE. Results: Eight people participated in the study and informed five themes: giving voice to those previously silenced, validation and empowerment, tackling guilt and shame, reclaiming identity and community, and the emotional cost of participation. Discussion: This study highlighted the range of emotions and insights experienced by those who engaged in the Critical Conversation meetings with CAF leadership on the effects of MST on their lives. The findings of this study explore a potential pathway of recovery for those who have survived MST during service with the CAF.