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Report harassment or sexual assault at VA

Harassment and sexual assault can happen to anyone. And it’s never your fault. If someone makes you—or another person—feel unsafe at VA, we encourage you to tell us. We’re here to support you. And we’re committed to making VA a safe place for all. Find out how to file a report and what to expect when you do. 

How to file your report

As a Veteran or visitor to VA, you have options for how to file your report. And you can file a report at any time. When you’re ready, we’ll support you through every step of the process. 

  • Tell someone you trust at a VA location. For example, tell security, a patient advocate, or your health care provider.
  • Or, if you've left the facility, call us at 800-698-2411 (TTY: 711) and select option 9. Our trained staff are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We’ll always respect your need for confidentiality. When you file your report, we’ll explain your options for confidential or anonymous reporting.

Find out what to do if you don’t want to give your name

Note: Your safety is the top priority. If you’ve been assaulted and you need help right away, call 911. If you’re at a VA location, call for security or find the nearest staff member.

What to expect when you file your report

First, we’ll make sure that you’re in a safe place. If you’ve been assaulted, we’ll connect you with your local police for help right away.

When you file your report, we’ll ask you for some information, explain the process, and answer any questions you may have. We’ll also connect you with any counseling or other support you may need.

Information we’ll encourage you to share

We’ll encourage you to share as much of the information listed here as you can:

  • Your name and contact information
    Find out what to do if you don’t want to give your name
  • The date, time, location, and description of the incident
  • The name or a description of anyone involved in the incident
  • The names and contact information of anyone who saw or heard what happened
  • Any materials that you think support your report (like emails, text messages, or photos)

If you don’t have all this information, that’s OK.  We take all reports seriously, even when we have limited information.

Steps we'll take to help stop the harassment and support you

  1. We’ll start an inquiry

    We review all reports within 1 business day of when we receive them. We then conduct a thorough and fair inquiry.

    As part of this process, we’ll talk with you and with others who may have seen or heard what happened. We’ll also review any related materials (like emails, text messages, or photos).

    Note: We try to complete each inquiry as quickly as we can. If you have questions during the process, you can contact us at any time.

  2. We’ll take action to help stop the harassment

    Our dedicated team will find ways to help stop the harassment and help make sure it doesn’t happen again. 

  3. We’ll contact you after we complete our inquiry

    We’ll answer any questions you may have. And we’ll connect you with any counseling or ongoing support you may need to feel safe at VA.

Questions you may have about reporting harassment at VA

What should I do if I don’t want to give my name with my report?

First, please know that we respect your privacy. We ask for your name and contact information so we can conduct a full inquiry and follow up with you when we’re done. 

Here are your options for confidential or anonymous reporting:

  • We respect your need for confidentiality for all reports. This means we share your name only with people who need this information to help us conduct our inquiry and meet legal requirements.
  • If you don’t want us to share your name with anyone, you can tell us this when you file your report. Only our main office staff will then have access to your name. We won’t share it with the team who conducts the inquiry or anyone else. We’ll conduct the inquiry as fully as we can with the information we have.
  • If you don’t want to give your name at all, you can file an anonymous report with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The OIG will then lead the investigation. We won’t be involved and can’t offer support during the process.
    Learn more about filing a report with the OIG

How does VA define harassment and sexual assault?

Harassment is any unwelcome behavior that creates a hostile space. It can make you feel uncomfortable, unsafe, intimidated, or offended. Harassment can sometimes be sexual in nature. Harassment can come in many forms—from physical actions to spoken or written words to shared pictures.

These acts are all forms of harassment or sexual harassment:

  • Crude gestures or jokes
  • Referring to someone by the wrong gender on purpose
  • Unwelcome sexual comments, shouts, whistles, or advances
  • A request for sexual favors
  • Sexist remarks
  • Bullying
  • Stalking

Sexual assault is any type of unwelcome touching without your clear consent. 

These acts are all forms of sexual assault:

  • Grabbing or hugging
  • Patting
  • Stroking
  • Pinching
  • Brushing or rubbing against someone

We encourage you to tell us right away—or whenever you’re ready—if either of these situations happens to you:

  • You experience any type of harassment or sexual assault at VA. This can include at a VA location, during a phone or video call, or in written communications with VA personnel. We’ll support you through each step of the reporting and resolution process. And we’ll connect you with any counseling or other support you may need.

  • You see or hear someone else being harassed or sexually assaulted at VA. We’re committed to making VA a safe place for all. And we need your help.

What if I only want to talk with a woman staff member at a VA health facility?

If you experienced harassment at a VA health care facility, you can contact a Women Veterans Program Manager. All our program managers are women.

  • Contact your local medical center and ask for the Women Veterans Program Manager.
    Find a VA medical center near you
  • Call our Women Veterans Call Center at 855-829-6636. We’re here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. We’ll connect you with your local manager.
  • Chat online with a trained Women Veterans Call Center representative Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET. This chat function is private and anonymous. Please don’t include any personal information, like your Social Security number.
    Start a chat with the Women Veterans Call Center

Can I change my mind after I file a report?

Yes. Veterans, family members of Veterans, and visitors can withdraw a report at any time. If you’d like to withdraw your report, tell your VA point of contact for the report.

What happens if I don’t agree with the outcome of this process?

Tell your VA point of contact for the report.

These are our goals for the outcome:

  • Stop the harassment, and
  • Make sure the harassment doesn’t happen again, and
  • Provide you with any support you may need

If we haven’t met these goals, we want to know right away.

What should I do if I just want to talk with someone for support?

Everyone responds to harassment and sexual assault differently. If you’re not ready to file a report, we’re here to offer any support that you may need:

  • If you need to talk with someone right now, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and select 1. Or text: 838255. We're here 24/7.
  • Contact your nearest VA medical center or Vet Center to talk about your needs. Or if you have VA health care, ask your primary care provider to help you set up an appointment with a mental health provider. Our VA chaplains and social workers can also offer support.
    Find your nearest VA medical center or Vet Center
    Send your VA provider a secure message
  • Call our Women Veterans Call Center at 855-829-6636. All our program managers are women. We’re here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. We’ll connect you with your local manager.

If I’m a VA employee, contractor, or volunteer, how do I report harassment that happened to me?

If you were harassed while working or volunteering at VA, you can report harassment to a VA manager or harassment prevention coordinator or to our harassment prevention program at 888-566-3982.

Learn more about reporting harassment as a VA employee

Read our VA Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity, and Inclusion, No FEAR, and Whistleblower Rights and Protection Policy Statement (PDF)

Note: If you’re also a Veteran and you were harassed while accessing VA health care or other benefits or services, you can file your report as a Veteran instead.

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