One voice asks for change.
Thousands of voices demand it.
#whywouldilie | Nov 10, 2025
Challenge the myth that protects predators.
#whywouldilie
A campaign by The Silenced Voices of MST
There is a reason victims second guess themselves about speaking up after a predator does the unthinkable. Every time one of us tells the truth, someone in power treats our words like a tactic, while those in our community treats us like traitors and ostracize us.
Why?
Military sexual trauma survivors live inside a system that doubts them before it protects them.
The Department of Defense’s own report shows that the false reporting rate for sexual assault was one percent in 2024 and has averaged three percent for the last ten years. That means ninety-seven to ninety-nine percent of reports are credible. Yet disbelief remains the default reaction across commands, legal offices, and even medical settings.
This campaign exists to make the truth louder than that doubt.
Share your story.
Are all of these people lying?
Have you ever been accused of lying about what happened to you? If you have ever been told to stay quiet because the system will not believe you, your truth matters here. Post your story on any platform. Tag it #WhyWouldILie.
Who is really lying?
Beginning November 12, 2025, The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is holding an annual seminar for criminal defense lawyers. This year, Michael Waddington, an expert in sexual assault defense will present the topic "Why Would They Lie?" which is a guide to exposing false reporting in sexual assault cases.
The message implied by that title echoes what survivors of military sexual trauma hear every day: that our accounts are suspect by nature.
When institutions build conferences around skepticism instead of prevention, the result is more victims, fewer convictions, and ongoing impunity. The Silenced Voices of MST launched #WhyWouldILie to confront this narrative publicly with verifiable data and lived experience.
Let’s ask the question that institutions never asks or answers:
If the government’s own data confirms that false reports are rare, why is disbelief still policy?
Hear from survivors
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Julie
Episode 3
Julie shares her experience with being accused of lying after being sexually assaulted by a senior noncommissioned officer who had a history of inappropriate behavior.
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Brian
Episode 29
Brian shares his experience of returning to base after being assaulted and admitting what occurred after being pressed by a senior NCO that noticed his shocked demeanor.
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Lakeydra
Episode 37
Lakeydra shares her experience of finding out that a part of her leadership was directly involved with human trafficking in South Korea.