A survey has revealed that female veterans feel less supported than their male counterparts after their time in the Armed Forces.
Research by SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, found that 46 per cent of female veterans in the UK felt that the support for male veterans is better than for female veterans.
Of the same group 43 per cent said they felt that they were on their own with no one looking out for them after they returned to civvy street.
The YouGov survey was taken by 251 veterans aged between 18 and 45.
The results of this research are reflected in the increased number of women coming forward to be matched with a SSAFA mentor. Currently women make up 22 per cent of people using this service. This is disproportionately large compared to the male-to-female ratio within the Armed Forces which is approximately 10 per cent.
The SSAFA mentoring service provides confidential one-to-one support for service leavers and their families during the often difficult transition back to civilian life. Mentors provide practical and emotional support, assist in decision-making, support career decisions and offer independent advice.
The survey also found that over a third of former servicewomen weren’t fully prepared for civilian life when leaving the Armed Forces. Further to this, 38 per cent of female veterans said they did not plan their post-military career before they returned to civilian life.
Although many service leavers thrive in civilian life, if a veteran is struggling and the issues are not addressed early enough, problems can escalate to a stage where more drastic intervention may be necessary. SSAFA’s mentoring service aims to stop this by providing early preventative support.
Support
If you are struggling in civilian life it is important to address problems early before they can escalate.
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