This article discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call RAINN's national sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for confidential support.

BROOKFIELD, Wis. — A Wisconsin veteran is working to support survivors of military sexual assault. 

As a survivor herself, she has found her purpose with an organization called Healing Warrior Hearts.

At just 17 years old, Dianne Young enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. She said she knew she wanted to serve her country and didn’t hesitate to sign on the dotted line.

Young said she loved the work and made a career out of it. She served in the military for nearly 20 years and deployed all over the world.

(Photo courtesy of Dianne Young)

While serving overseas in Japan, something happened that changed the course of her life.

“I certainly would have thought that I was safe going back to my room right there in the barracks,” said Young. “Obviously, that was not the case.”

Young said she was sexually assaulted by her superior — a U.S. Marine Corps master sergeant — after a night out with her unit, celebrating a promotion. She said it’s a night that has haunted her throughout her life.

“Because I knew him, I worked for him,” she said. “He knew my family. I knew his family. Everything about it was wrong. What made it worse was the way the military handled it.”

Young said she reported the crime, but nothing really happened. She eventually got transferred to a new base in California and the master sergeant she accused of rape ended up being honorably discharged.

(Photo courtesy of Dianne Young)

That trauma triggered more than a decade of unhealthy living for Young. She said she used alcohol and gambling as a coping mechanism or a way to try and forget what happened to her. She knew she needed help.

“I realized at that time that I had been completely, emotionally checked out for 12 years,” said Young. “From my marriage, as a mom, from my friends.”

Then one of her friends, who went through a similar situation, invited her to a weekend retreat organized by Healing Warrior Hearts. Young was hesitant, but agreed to go.

“My friend, she saw all this stuff that I was doing wrong, and they were trauma responses,” Young said. “She tried to tell me, and I just did not think she was right. I didn’t think anyone knew, nobody.”

Young said the weekend retreat changed her outlook.

Healing Warrior Hearts is a nonprofit started by Wisconsin native Patricia Clason. The organization provides supportive, confidential weekend retreats for veterans dealing with a multitude of various challenges. There is one for victims of sexual assault.

The retreat is led by a veteran or civilian who has experienced sexual trauma. They use talk therapy, art, music and other creative outlets to heal.  

Young said after going to that retreat, she finally felt seen and heard. It also helped to meet others who have gone through similar experiences.

“That gave me hope,” she said. “To think that I wasn’t crazy with the dysfunctional lifestyle that I created, with self-coping. There was hope for me.”

Young started volunteering with Healing Warrior Hearts. Now, she helps lead the retreats for other survivors to attend.

Clason said she is planning for Young to lead the organization one day. Young said she’s honored. This work has become her passion.

(Photo courtesy of Dianne Young)

“It’s rewarding for me to do this,” said Young. “It’s nice to have the confidence when people come in, to know that we are going to help them. I’ve seen it work every single time.”

Young has turned her pain into purpose and is committed to helping others navigate the healing process after military sexual assault. It’s something she said happens more than people know, and it’s not talked about enough.

Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled Patricia Clason's last name. This error has been corrected. (March 28, 2024)