When Mia Lynch walks along Halifax’s waterfront, she often sees HMCS Goose Bay, which was the first Coast Defense vessel she ever sailed on. The 36-year-old was once a proud member of the Royal Canadian Navy, but shortly after enlisting in 2003, her pride turned to pain. “When I first came in there was a Christmas party in the unit and there was a lot of alcohol going around,” he said. “I ended up drinking quite a bit that night and got drunk.” When he finally woke up, he realized something was wrong. “I was sexually assaulted, I felt scared and very ashamed.” In the wake of the alleged attack, Lynch struggled with what to do. She was new to the navy and as a woman was a minority in her unit. “I was too scared to report it,” she said. “I thought if I did it would be the end of my career. I thought it was an old boys’ club and no one would believe me, so I kept it a secret.” Cases like Lynch’s are not uncommon in the Canadian Armed Forces. According to a Statistics Canada report from 2016, 27.3 per cent of women and 3.8 per cent of men reported being sexually assaulted at least once since joining the military. “Sexual harassment has brought CAF into disrepute, both internally and in the eyes of the wider public,” former High Court judge Louise Arbor said in a scathing report released on May 30, which was a blistering indictment of “ handling of sexual behavior by the military. misconduct’, ‘abuse of power’ and ‘toxicity in the work environment’. The review, which has been underway for more than a year, also made 48 recommendations for consideration by the federal government, ranging from an overhaul of the institution’s recruiting system to removing sex-offense cases from military courts. “CAF was unwilling or unable to embrace the intent and vision that came from outside sources, choosing the letter over the spirit, often the appearance of the application over its substance, thus entrenching their modus operandi. I believe this is a consequence of the insular nature within which CAF has traditionally operated and its determination to perpetuate its old ways of doing business,” he said. Along with recommending sweeping changes, Arbour’s report highlighted that the “fear of retaliation” is very real for victims of military sexual abuse. At the time, the federal government said it “accepted” the report in its entirety and was in the process of implementing many of the recommendations. “I wasn’t attacked just once, it happened many times in my career, by different people,” Lynch said. “There were times when I tried to report it, but I was discouraged by other people in the military to follow through, so I eventually gave up.” Lynch said an alleged attack took place when she was “sleeping in her barracks”. She claims someone entered her room and attempted to assault her. The incident reinforced her fear and also plunged her into depression. “Not only did I already feel hopeless and that there was no other way out, but now I felt completely useless, abandoned by this organization that I gave my life to.” To cope with the trauma, Lynch began drinking heavily when he was not at work. At the same time, she was prescribed hydromorphone, because she had four surgeries in one month. The drug is a strong opioid analgesic, used to treat moderate to severe pain. “I started mixing it with alcohol and definitely used those substances to numb my feelings of self-loathing, powerlessness and worthlessness,” she said. “When my prescription ran out, I started trying cocaine.” Decades of research have found a strong link between exposure to traumatic events and substance use problems. While data are limited for active duty members in the Canadian Armed Forces, studies from the United States and the United Kingdom have shown a high prevalence of substance use among military personnel. “Substance use disorder is prevalent in the armed forces, probably four to five times higher than the general population, depending on which study you cite,” said Colette Currin, who is the National Director of Military, Veterans and Veterans Affairs for the EHN Canada. . Specializing in mental health and addiction treatment, Currin said it’s not uncommon to find military members struggling with substance use. An estimated 60 to 80 percent of CAF veterans diagnosed with PTSD have experienced substance abuse problems. “A lot of what we see in military culture is also in the general population, but it can be highlighted given the very unique structure of the military, obviously male-dominated, which for women can also present a unique intersection,” Currin said. . Lynch’s struggles and substance use led to a suicide attempt in 2015. During this time, she entered treatment and sought support from friends and family. “I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as generalized and social anxiety.” Despite all the hardships and obstacles, Lynch tried to stay in the Navy because she loved her job and serving her country. However, in September 2018 he was medically released from prison by the armed forces. When he left the institution, he had attained the rank of petty officer, second class. “Since then I’ve spent seven months in trauma therapy and now I’m trying to get my feet under me to heal and feel whole again.” Lynch has also been sober since 2020 and plans to go back to school, hoping to build a future free of her military past.
