MOD launches inquiry into sex offences
The Ministry of Defence has opened an inquiry into sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour following a spate of reported incidents. Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, stressed anyone found to have committed a sexual offence would face the full force of the law.
THE Ministry of Defence has opened an inquiry into sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour following a spate of incidents in recent months.
The announcement by Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, comes after claims of a sexual assault on a 17-year-old female soldier by male soldiers – which is being investigated by military police – and an unprecedented intervention by the head of the Army.
Answering a written parliamentary question, Mr Williamson said that anyone found to have committed a sexual offence will be dealt with appropriately and will face the full force of the law.
Air Marshal Michael Wigston, who is to become Chief of the Air Staff later this year, will lead the inquiry and report by mid-may.
Mr Williamson said: “The Ministry of Defence and our Armed Forces are absolutely clear there is no place for sexual offending. We expect the highest standards of behaviour from our service personnel.
“The Armed Forces are committed to addressing the issue of sexual harassment and sexual assault through a range of actions, including awareness campaigns and training presentations around sexual consent.”
The inquiry has been launched after allegations that a female soldier awoke in her room to find six men from a military sports club standing over her.
The Telegraph understands that five of the soldiers were arrested by military police on March 29, with the sixth arrested on April 1. All the men have been released while investigations continue. The location of the alleged attack and units to which the woman and her attackers belong has not been made public for legal reasons.
Mr Williamson said at the time that he had been “horrified” to hear of the allegations.
The inquiry will seek to understand if there is a systematic problem regarding inappropriate behaviour across the services, and make recommendations on what can be done. Improvements to “controls, processes or policy” are to be identified.
Last week, General Sir Mark Carleton-smith, the Army’s Chief of the General Staff, took the unusual step of addressing his force via a video statement on the Army’s Youtube channel.
He said: “Where serious allegations are proven against members of the Army ... it demonstrates indiscipline that is wildly at odds with the values and the standards that represent the fabric of not just our Army, but the nation’s Army”.
Explaining how service personnel need to behave to a “higher level” as they are responsible for defending the nation, he added: “Any behaviour that falls short of that high standard we cannot and will not tolerate.”
He concluded: “This hasn’t been a good week for the Army. It has damaged our reputation which is exceptionally hard-earned and includes the sacrifice of our friends on the battlefield. We all belong to a national institution, something the country is proud of, and rightly so – the best of British.
“And we are proud custodians of that reputation, which needs all of us – each and every one of us – to do better.”
In future, commanding officers will be duty bound to refer any allegation of rape and sexual assault, or any other offence that may have a sexual element, to the service police.