Two-thirds of military women experienced sexual harassment, survey says
Two-thirds of women serving full-time in the UK armed forces reported experiencing sexualised behavior in the past year, according to a survey.
This included comments about their appearance, harassment, bad looks and groping.
The survey stated that women experience these behaviors twice as much as men.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD), which produced the report, described the findings as “completely unacceptable” and said it had introduced a prevention program to address unacceptable behaviour.
The survey was part of an effort to capture the deeply troubling experiences of many women serving in the armed forces, who make up around 12% of the force.
In 2021, 19-year-old gunner Jaysley Beck committed suicide after being sexually harassed and assaulted. Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, had pinned Beck down and tried to kiss her. He was jailed last month for sexual assault.
The survey of more than 90,000 military personnel, including full-time personnel called regulars and part-time reservists, reveals a wide range of harassment, from verbal abuse to physical abuse.
Sixty-seven per cent of full-time female staff experienced some form of sexualised behavior in the past year, such as inappropriate jokes, pornography or comments about their appearance. Among male regulars, this rate was 34%.
93% of these women said they believed the behavior amounted to sexual harassment.
About 42% of female regulars said they were stared at or looked down upon. The third said they were touched in a way that made them uncomfortable.
Sexualized behavior was most common in open workplaces in the military home or training unit.
The MoD said it was tackling what it called inappropriate behavior by educating recruits about consent, misogyny and harmful online influences.
Veterans and People’s Minister Louise Sandher-Jones said the survey results were “completely unacceptable”, describing it as “a no-holds-barred basis for fully confronting and tackling the root causes of this problem”.
“New standards are being set for transparency and accountability in our Armed Forces,” he added.
Survey coming after a year separate Royal Navy investigation found Women in the Submarine Service were subjected to misogyny, bullying and other unacceptable behavior.
Following a two-year long investigation, the report said the behavior was seen “at all levels” but was “not widespread” across the service.
