There are some 19,000 sexual assaults in the military each year, the Pentagon estimates. But many victims say they have nowhere to turn and risk ruining their careers by reporting attacks.

According to Pentagon research, a quarter of all women who join the military are sexually assaulted during their careers. Many cases go unreported, and some victims say the perpetrator is a superior to whom they would have to report the assault.

For years, the Army has effectively ignored the ban against women in combat, though it's still hard for them to receive full recognition for what they've achieved. "Battle-fatigued female soldiers" is a new and uneasy concept for American society.

For many female veterans of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, new battles await when they return home. They need help, just like men — with jobs, PTSD and reconnecting with family. But these issues can be harder for women. And the darkest side of women's military service persists: sexual assault.

Like many other former felons in Florida, Vikki Hankins has spent years trying to regain civil rights like the right to vote or serve on a jury. And while she dreams of going to law school, she will be unable to sit for the bar or practice law unless her rights are restored.