Page 45 - FINAL San Diego Woman interactive

UNDER THE C OL ORS

her major issues. “I didn't under- out what's happening. Instead of out of control. I was extreme-
stand what was going on. Looking helping me, they turned the case ly suicidal. I had no support
back now, the reason I had such around, and they did a retalia- system whatsoever. And it wasn't
a difficult time processing what tory drug investigation on me until 2012 that I began seeing a
happened was because I’m a Ma- stemming from the night I was mental health professional who
rine, right? I'm trained to be the raped. They told me that based guided me through the process
person who protects others, but I on reporting they had proof that of opening up and talking about
couldn't protect myself. I couldn't, I was drugged the night that I the rape.”
that night, and it messed with my was raped. Which I was by my as- When she realized she wasn’t
head.” sailant. They were able to gather crazy and she could become well
Thankfully, by God’s grace a bunch of his friends together again she contacted another sen-
she could not remember all the who said I had been doing drugs ator, Senator Boxer and she did
details of the attack. Even being and was really messed up. They her first press conference in 2013
aware of the treatment Luz re- came at me with 13 counts of use with the Senator. “In 2014, I was
ceived upon reporting her earlier and possession of controlled sub- invited to Washington by Senator
abuse sexual harassment it never stances, although there was no Gillibrand, to speak on behalf of
occurred to her not to report truth to the allegation. Basically, the Military Justice Improvement
this. This was a horrible crime, they told me, you can sign here, Act.”
she was drugged and raped, and and we'll give you an ‘other than Luz was in and out of the
she knew she could not let her honorable discharge and you can public eye sharing her story. But “Trina and I met at this amaz-
attacker get away with it. The go home,’ or we could take this she hadn't really gotten into ing retreat for women veterans.
result was that they opened an to court martial and you're facing the space of recovery. So, it was We were both getting better,
investigation from NCIS for the potential life in prison. “ good on the one hand because but we felt isolated and realized
crime of rape. Luz was 19 and scared to she was publicly talking about it, there needed to be a place that
Before very long Luz real- death by the threats, “I felt that I but it was really difficult because we could bring victims survivors
ized that they were not doing didn’t have a lot of options here at the same time, she still didn't together. We realized that it was
anything. “No one was taking it and I didn't understand what I have access through the VA to possible to thrive even after
serious. They weren't investigat- was signing. I made the decision get mental health care. sexual trauma. We wanted other
ing. And I started to get really to separate and go home and so “In 2012, I began to petition survivors of MST to realize that
angry, I tried to find out what I took the same discharge that the VA for disability compensa- there is an opportunity for post-
was going on. And I found out they had given the man that tion based on the fact that I'd traumatic growth. And so, we
eventually that during this open raped me.” been diagnosed with PTSD as a made a decision that we would
investigation for the crime of Luz didn't understand that result of Military Sexual Trauma. stay in contact and see what
rape, they allowed this Sergeant by signing that paper she gave It took four years and letters from comes of it. About a year later,
who raped me to separate from up all of her veteran’s benefits. three senators; Senator Boxer, we launched the start of our
the military with an ‘other than “I came home thinking, well, I'll Senator Grassley, and Senator organization on January 1, 2019.
honorable discharge,’ leave the go to the VA and I'll get some Gillibrand and the legal team at It's called the Veterans Recovery
Island and go back to the United mental health assistance and Chapman University, who took Project.
States. I was devastated.” see somebody who will be able my case pro bono, to finally get It is a place where we can
Luz sent the information, to help me get my sanity back. my discharge upgraded to a share what our lives look like as a
including the NCIS statement I made a phone call to the VA general ‘under honorable condi- result of implementing different
and files to her mother who took and I was told, you are no longer tions’ which meant that in 2016, forms of recreational therapy.
them to Congressman Michael considered a veteran of the 16 years after I had been raped, I We encourage different types of
Forbes office, but they too re- United States Marine Corps. You was allowed to have my VA ben- therapeutic modalities, such as
fused to help her. do not rate any veteran benefits. efits back. And I began mental joining a writing group, artwork,
“I even went to the base Goodbye.” health care through the VA. horseback riding, mountain
general to try to figure out what Luz went home in June 2000 Today Luz works with her climbing, and surfing.
the hell was going on, why they and received no mental health business partner, Trina McDonald, There are many ways to navi-
allowed this to happen. Essen- care. She had severe, debilitating a Navy Veteran and also a survivor gate through recovery from PTSD
tially, I angered many people in PTSD, but she didn’t know it for of Military Sexual Trauma. She that don't involve just sitting in a
high places. I had a congressional 13 years. “I had no idea. I knew was in a documentary called ‘The therapist's office. Our mission is
inquiry coming from the State of something was wrong with me, Invisible War’ produced by Kirby to build a community of survivors
New York going out to Washing- but I didn't know what and my Dick. A documentary about MST of Military Sexual Trauma to build
ton, DC and going over to the parents didn't know how to help and the epidemic that it's become resiliency in that community and
base in Okinawa to try to find me and I just kind of spiraled in the U S military. to give people a space to openly
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