‘No More Shame’: a charity partnership has said that mental health stigma is stopping ex-servicewomen in Scotland from accessing appropriate support when they need it

Posted by See Me, 4 March 2027

A CHARITY partnership has published a new report revealing the scale and nature of mental health stigma experienced by ex-servicewomen.   

The report identifies stigma as a significant barrier to accessing mental health support. It also identifies the significant gaps that exist in appropriate personalised mental health services for ex-servicewomen.   

The report, entitled ‘mental health stigma and discrimination experienced by ex-servicewomen in Scotland’, is an evidence review authored by the Mental Health Foundation that brings together existing research data on women veterans’ mental health experiences. The review was commissioned by the No More Shame partnership, which aims to identify and break down the barriers that prevent ex-servicewomen from accessing the mental health support they need.   

No More Shame is a collaboration between See Me, Scotland’s national programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination, SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) and veterans’ mental health charity Combat Stress. The project works closely with former servicewomen with lived experience of mental health problems and illness, and includes the creation of a peer network facilitator post to ensure lived experiences are central to the work. A grant awarded by The Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund is funding the project into 2027. No More Shame will build on the work from See Me’s previous campaign, The Guard, which worked with veterans across Scotland to tackle the stigma around reaching out for support for their mental health.    

Data brought together in the evidence review for No More Shame has revealed how mental health stigma is experienced by ex-servicewomen:    

  • Societal biases frame women as less likely to endure severe military-related trauma, which diminishes their perceived need for mental health support.   

  • Veterans’ health care services tend to be male-orientated, failing to adequately address the specific needs of ex-servicewomen, leading to inappropriate or gender-insensitive care.   

  • Many ex-servicewomen internalise negative gendered stereotypes about mental illness, believing that they should be emotionally strong to fit into a 'male' military culture.    

  • Ex-servicewomen face intersectional stigma, with negative experiences often compounded by multiple forms of stigma which are simultaneously at play. An example of this is the direct discriminatory policies and practices experienced by the LGBT+ community which still have lasting impacts. The report highlights significant gaps in data around the mental health experiences of racialised, trans and disabled women. The report reveals that other intersecting factors such as racism and homophobia exacerbate the stigma in both civilian and military settings.    

The project is seeking to better understand ex-servicewomen's experiences of mental health stigma and discrimination, and through working with ex-servicewomen address the inequalities and poor outcomes it causes.    

Through understanding the diverse ways in which mental health stigma is experienced, the project team are able to advocate for change which will lead to improved outcomes for Scotland’s ex-servicewomen.   

Topline information:   

  • There are 20,615 ex-servicewomen Scotland (2022 census). This amounts to 12% of the total number of veterans in Scotland, or 1% of all women in Scotland.    

  • Women veterans account for 21% of all veterans in Scotland aged under 20, a far higher proportion than in any other age group.   

  • Veterans tend to live in council areas that contain or are close to military bases. Almost 1/3 of all veterans live in Moray, Angus, Argyll & Bute, Fife, Perth & Kinross and Highland. Moray has the greatest proportion of women veterans in Scotland. 15% of veterans in Moray are women   

  • Some studies have indicated that women veterans are more likely to experience mental health challenges such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety compared to their male counterparts, and are at greater risk of suicide compared to male veterans   

  • 10.8% reported PTSD, 28.6% reported ‘common mental difficulties’, 11.1% reported anger difficulties   

  • Alcohol misuse was reported by 12.8% of women   

The review has identified significant gaps in mental health support:   

  • In civilian healthcare settings, practitioners often lack knowledge of the unique mental health challenges faced by women in the military, which can lead to feelings of alienation.    

  • Within military contexts, there is an expectation for women to conform to a traditionally masculine culture, in which stereotypically masculine characteristics (e.g. strength and courage) are privileged over those typically seen as feminine (e.g. emotionality and caring). This can discourage women from seeking help. The military cultural narratives which prize strength and punish weakness can deter ex-servicewomen from seeking help. Ex-servicewomen who would wish to seek help may experience the ‘double burden’ of having both their femininity and help-seeking perceived as ‘weak’. In veterans’ health services, the male-centric environment often results in ex-servicewomen feeling out of place or ignored.   

The impact on ex-servicewomen's mental health:   

  • The stigma and discrimination faced by ex-servicewomen can lead to delayed help-seeking behaviours and worsened mental health conditions, such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety.   

  • Ex-servicewomen can often be made to feel marginalised and misunderstood, which exacerbates the mental health problems they may face. They report feeling less worthy and less deserving of care, particularly in comparison to male veterans. This can contribute to internalised stigma amongst ex-servicewomen. In addition, those who did not serve in combat roles reported feeling less worthy than those who had served in combat, feeding into complexities around identity.   

See Me director Wendy Halliday said: “The evidence review shines a spotlight on the nature, scale and impact of mental health stigma and discrimination experienced by ex-servicewomen. The data is telling us that stigma is a significant barrier both in terms of preventing help seeking and in service provision - with services not designed to provide appropriate tailored and trauma informed support.   

“The report also tells us about the gaps in data, for example we know that ex-servicewomen make up 12% of the ex-services population in Scotland – and yet women are largely under-represented in research around ex-services mental health particularly for racialised, trans and disabled women. Only approximately 2% of veteran’s mental health research focused on or including women. This means that services both in civilian and veterans spaces are simply not tailored to the needs of ex-servicewomen – resulting in poorer access and experiences of the services that are available.   

“Addressing mental health stigma as a fundamental cause of these inequalities means we can create the right conditions for women to be able to reach out and get access to personalised support in a timely way. As we move forward with No More Shame, the project will help us understand more deeply what diverse mental health stigma experiences look like for ex-servicewomen, the complexities of military trauma, including LGBT+ experiences, and will help us to advocate for improved support and responses for women veterans.”      

Robert Nesbitt, head of physical activity and sport at SAMH, said: “We're so grateful to the veterans who have shared their experiences and are helping us to put lived experience at the heart of this important work. This evidence review has underlined the gaps in support which we will now aim to address by adapting peer support programmes developed by our physical activity and sport team. Together we can create safe spaces where ex-servicewomen feel empowered to connect with others about what's important to them and talk openly about their experiences - whether that is in regard to their mental health or the stigma they've experienced."   

Sonia Phythian, Combat Stress Director of Services, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with See Me to reach more women veterans affected by military-related psychological trauma and support them to access the help they need. Through our experience treating and supporting women veterans, and our research into their unique experiences, challenges and mental health, we know women veterans are more likely to experience significant mental health difficulties than their male counterparts, including higher rates of depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms. No More Shame is making important progress and helping address barriers to getting the right help.”  

For more information about No More Shame, please visit: www.seemescotland.org/priority-groups/partnerships/veterans-partnerships