Female Veterans Face Multiple Challenges in Civilian World

Civilian life offers multiple challenges for women veterans in Duval; survey results released
Jacksonville.com
By Beth Reese Cravey
Fri, Mar 18, 2016

Like their male counterparts, women veterans are subject to post-traumatic stress disorder, military sexual trauma, health issues, a high divorce rate and homelessness. But they also have other challenges that men may not face, such as child care, single-parenting issues, sexual abuse and gender discrimination in employment, according to the local group.

Bob.Mack@jacksonville.com

“We have a lot of work to be done,” said veteran Deloris “Dee” Quaranta,

founder and executive director of the women veterans group.

For women veterans in Duval County, finding adequate employment, financial stresses and mental health challenges are the leading barriers to building successful civilian lives after military service, according to the results of a recent survey.

The survey was the first phase of RestorHER, a two-year research project by Jacksonville-based nonprofit Northeast Florida Women Veterans and the University of Florida Psychology Department and funded by the Women’s Giving Alliance of the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida.

In the next phase, a system of care and services will be developed that responds to the survey results.

“We have a lot of work to be done,” said veteran Deloris “Dee” Quaranta, founder and executive director of the women veterans group.

About 72 percent of the women surveyed said they had at least one service-related health problem. The most common physical problem was hypertension, at 26 percent. But most of their issues were related to mental health — 47 percent, depression or anxiety disorders; 39 percent, sleep disorders; 30 percent, post-traumatic stress disorder; and 18 percent, military sexual trauma.
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