Scandal as women are harassed in the Forces
ONE IN seven women have revealed they were victims of inappropriate behaviour while serving in the past year, according to a Ministry of Defence survey.
Gen Sir Richard Barrons, who headed Joint Force Command until 2016, said last night: “The only way forward is to keep going and to try harder. And [the Army] must be completely uncompromising about it.”
The Armed Forces Continuous Attitude questionnaire is an annual poll sent to a sample of around 30,000 current personnel from the three Services. It is in order to assess levels of satisfaction in the job.
The alarming findings of the 2022 survey, which has just been released, found “14 per cent of all female personnel reported being subject to sexual harassment in a Service environment in the last 12
months”. Gen Barrons added: “The Army has been trying to confront two major challenges – representing the society it is fighting for and dealing with diversity and discrimination. They have made huge efforts and there is relatively little progress. That’s because you’re having to
constantly restart with different people.
“Also, the Army reflects the communities it recruits from – it’s not just an army problem, it’s a societal problem.”
Levels of bullying in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force were also worryingly high, according to the findings.
The survey said: “Over one in 10 (12 per cent) of personnel report they have been subject to bullying, discrimination or harassment in the last 12 months.”
Few of those surveyed, however, said they would be willing to make a formal complaint, with just over half fearing nothing would be done or that it might affect their career.
The poll added: “The majority of personnel who have been subject to bullying, discrimination or harassment do not make a complaint (93 per cent).
Levels of general satisfaction among serving personnel have also fallen, with less than half satisfied with life in the military.
An MOD spokesman said: “We are clear that all forms of unacceptable behaviour, including sexual harassment and bullying, have no place in our Armed Forces.”