Veterans’ mental health charity Combat Stress publishes report showing how their OVA-funded research has led to specialist training, professional education and improved support for women veteran survivors.
Combat Stress has published the final report from ENHANCE+, a multi-year programme funded by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) that has transformed understanding of military sexual trauma (MST) in UK women veterans and translated research into practical improvements in support, treatment and professional practice.
The programme was developed in response to growing evidence of the impact of sexual trauma on women who have served in the Armed Forces. Research by Combat Stress found that almost one in four UK women veterans reported experiencing sexual harassment during military service and that those who experienced sexual trauma in service were significantly more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Rather than simply identifying the problem, ENHANCE+ focused on developing practical solutions. Combat Stress identified the most effective evidence-based treatment for PTSD resulting from MST and trained 98 mental health professionals from 34 organisations providing veteran clinical services across the UK in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), helping increase national capacity to deliver specialist treatment.
The programme also launched a free online education platform to improve understanding of women veterans’ experiences and needs among professionals, employers and organisations supporting the veteran community. To date, 684 participants have completed at least one course, with all resources remaining freely available online: ENHANCE+ – Free training for those working with women veterans.
A recently published peer-reviewed paper in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology documented how the programme successfully translated research into real-world impact through education, clinical training and practical resources. ENHANCE+ also helped establish clearer parameters for defining military sexual trauma, creating a stronger foundation for future research, policy and practice.
Together, the programme’s research, clinical training and educational resources leave a lasting legacy that will continue strengthening support for women veterans across the UK for years to come.
Danielle Dryden, Researcher at Combat Stress, said: “Over the last six years, women veterans have helped shape every stage of this programme. What makes ENHANCE+ so significant is that it has gone beyond identifying need. Through collaboration with women veterans, researchers and practitioners, we have translated evidence into practical tools, professional training and improved support pathways that will continue to benefit women veterans for years to come.”
Minister for Veterans and People Calvin Bailey MBE said:
“We are committed to supporting women veterans who have experienced unacceptable behaviour, trauma or sexual offending during their service.
“Combat Stress’s findings will help improve understanding of those experiences and support the development of care and treatment that better reflects the needs of women veterans.
“The department will soon launch a women veterans forum and an oral history project, helping ensure women continue to have their voices and experiences captured, understood and acted on.”
The ENHANCE+ Final Funders Report is available to download from the Combat Stress website: CombatStress_ENHANCE_Report_2026_October.pdf
