TAMPA, Fla. — It's estimated that 17 military veterans die by suicide each day, according to a report from USA Today.
That's why one group is making sure veterans and their families know where they can find support.
Veterans Counseling Veterans is an organization started by a Tampa man to create a safe space for those who have served our country. The organization is hosting a conference that specifically deals with military sexual trauma.
Tony Williams is the Founder and CEO of Veterans Counseling Veterans. He was encouraged to help other veterans after reading a report showing female veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide due to military sexual assault. He says the goal of this conference is to not just expose the wound, but provide the resources to heal it.
The last two conferences hosted by the organization have been successful, but Williams realized he needed to take a more holistic approach, to help heal the families around that veteran.
"This theme here is called healing families and relationships, because that's one of the casualties when you are an assault person," Williams said. "That's why all of the speakers, the theme is about families and how the families are affected by this, what things we can do to mitigate this and I've learned that most of the stuff is preventable."
Since they are addressing healing the whole family, the conference features several speakers who are experts in healing generational trauma. Williams believes if he can help prevent one suicide with a conference like this, then he's done his job.
VCV's 3rd annual Military Sexual Trauma Conference is April 5-7 at the USF Joint Military Leadership Center. Click here to find out more and register.