Women made up the majority of participants in all three national online surveys conducted by Direct Energy Weapons Agency, Inc. (DEWA) as part of its first annual Civilian Count initiative, the nonprofit announced. The surveys ran from March 24 to October 22, 2026, and gathered voluntary, self-reported responses through the online participation host platform Zoho Surveys, including outreach through social media.
Women accounted for 61.5% of respondents to the Havana Syndrome Civilian Survey, 52.7% of the Neurological Symptoms Survey, and 60.0% of the Decision-Making Survey. The gender split matters because it suggests women may be disproportionately affected by, or more likely to report, the unexplained symptoms the initiative is designed to document.
The Neurological Symptoms Survey produced the most detailed findings. Among respondents, 91.1% reported sudden ear or head ringing, buzzing, or pressure; 78.0% said they received no explanation for their symptoms; 78.8% sought medical care; and 91.9% reported disruptions to work, sleep, or daily activities. Those figures point to a population experiencing persistent, unexplained health problems that frequently go without a medical answer and interfere with everyday functioning.
DEWA is calling for expanded baseline neurological and cognitive testing, increased medical awareness of Havana Syndrome-type symptoms, and appropriate medical evaluations before premature diagnostic conclusions. The organization says the Civilian Count conducts these surveys annually to support research and advocate for improved healthcare resources. The push for baseline testing reflects a concern that without pre-existing data, symptoms can be dismissed or misattributed rather than properly evaluated.
The results carry implications beyond the respondents themselves. For clinicians, the findings underscore the need to recognize Havana Syndrome-type symptoms and to avoid reaching diagnostic conclusions prematurely. For researchers, the survey data offer a starting point for discussions about unexplained neurological, cognitive, and sensory symptoms. For patients, the 78.0% who received no explanation highlights a gap between seeking care and receiving answers.
DEWA, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in 2021, describes its mission as advocacy for directed-energy technology safety, civilian incident documentation, victim assistance, research, public education, and legislative advocacy. Through its Civilian Count initiative, it collects voluntary reports of unexplained neurological, cognitive, sensory, and related symptoms to support medical awareness, research discussions, and improved access to healthcare resources. More information about the initiative is available at www.CivilianCount.org.
The organization cautions that the surveys used limited, self-selected samples, with a total of 354 submissions recorded across the three surveys, and that percentages are based on respondents answering each relevant question. Findings reflect the experiences of participating respondents, and reported symptoms and their causes were not independently medically verified, but are based on what each individual reported they are experiencing.
