Servicewomen ‘are denied legal rights’

WOMEN in the Armed Forces claim they are being “silenced” from participating in sex harassment inquiries because they need permission from commanding officers.

Emma Norton, director of the Centre for Military Justice, is campaigning for the Ministry of Defence to overhaul its policy on service personnel’s access to press, parliament and campaign organisations.

The Defence Instruction Notice Contact with the Media and Communicating in Public requires them to seek permission from the MoD before speaking out.

Ms Norton, acting on behalf of three women, two of whom experienced rape, as well as a service person who suffered gender and racist bullying, said they all fear of the impact on their careers if they were to seek prior permission from the MoD to speak publicly. She told The Sunday Telegraph that “‘soldiers, sailors and airmen and women do not give up their fundamental legal rights simply by joining up”.

She argued that by the policy, they are “prevented from speaking out publicly about any of their experiences – this means that if they have been the victim of racism, harassment, bullying or sexual violence, they are silenced”.

She added: “The women bringing this challenge firmly believe that they will suffer severe career consequences if they do so, so they stay silent.”

Ms Norton conceded that it was “perfectly reasonable for the MoD to set restraints”

‘[MoD] can’t restrict fundamental rights for its reputational convenience’

on personnel’s ability to communicate publicly about sensitive operational matters, “it can’t restrict fundamental rights for its own reputational convenience”.

She added: “The effect of the policy is to amount to a de facto ban on any service person speaking publicly about matters that are of great public interest and importance.”

An MoD spokesman said: “As a reflection of our society, our personnel may still face some challenges, but we have come a long way, and we will continue to eradicate intolerable behaviour.”