“Unwelcome: Sexual Harassment, Sexual Discrimination, Sexual Assault, and Rape in the Canadian Forces” by Captain Dawn Ottman is now available for purchase

average military memoir. It’s raw, gut-wrenching, and heartbreakingly honest. Ottman takes us from her tough-as-nails childhood in Toronto’s Regent Park to the rigid, male-dominated halls of the Royal Military College. Her story is one of breaking barriers—until the very system she served betrayed her. Through every promotion and every insult, Ottman fought not just for respect, but for survival.

Reading her story feels like marching beside her. You can almost feel the weight of her uniform, the sting of being called “Dragon Lady,” and the pride of outsmarting men who doubted her. But beneath that pride runs a current of pain—the kind that comes when courage is met with cruelty. When she was assaulted by a fellow officer and ignored by her superiors, Ottman’s battle became one not of service, but of survival. She fled to the U.S., carrying invisible wounds that no medal could ever mend.

Yet, “Unwelcome: Sexual Harassment, Sexual Discrimination, Sexual Assault, and Rape in the Canadian Forces” isn’t a story about defeat—it’s about defiance. Ottman’s honesty tears through the silence surrounding sexual misconduct in the military. She doesn’t write to shame; she writes to shed light. Her voice trembles with anger, yes, but also with hope. She fought for years to have her PTSD recognized by Veterans Affairs Canada—and when she finally won, she used her victory to help others. That’s when this book transforms from memoir to manifesto.

Ottman’s bravery reminds us that real soldiers don’t just fight wars abroad—they fight for justice at home. Her words challenge us to stop turning away from uncomfortable truths and to start listening to the women who’ve been silenced for too long. Unwelcome might be the title of her book, but Captain Dawn Ottman proves she belongs exactly where she stands—strong, unbroken, and unafraid to speak.