UK military still marred with misogyny, sexual abuse of women

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
18 May 2023 23:52

A new report grounded in whistleblower testimonies reveals that “a wider culture of institutional misogyny” continues to exist within the UK military.

British Forces from 16 Air Assault Brigade arrive in Kabul, Afghanistan, to provide support to British withdrawing from the country, as part of Operation PITTING after Taliban took control of the presidential palace in Kabul, August 15, 2021 (Reuters)

A new report published by a parliamentary committee, on Thursday, revealed, through whistleblower testimony, that women in the UK military continue to be victims of rape and sexual assault.

The report includes eight cases proving “a wider culture of institutional misogyny” that existed within the UK army, as described by Sarah Atherton MP, chair of the Commons defense select committee. According to the report, one of the cases discussed the situation of a junior servicewoman, a victim of rape, that was forced to leave the military while the "abuser was protected."

The cases were collected by the force's medical teams and sent to a Commons defense select committee, inquiring into women’s experience of serving in the armed forces, The Guardian reported.

According to Atherton, rape and serious sexual assault cases ought to cease to be handled by military police and prosecutors; instead, they should be handled by regular civil police.

Another servicewoman, for example, told her superior that she had been “groped, forcibly kissed, and exposed by a male colleague” at a unit Christmas party, only to be told that sometimes, at parties, "things get out of hand."

'Against her will'

In a third case that is deemed the most serious of the eight compiled cases, a servicewoman was raped on base by someone with whom she had been in a casual relationship. While she hesitated at first to report the assault fearing "recriminations", she was advised by a military GP to “choose her partners more carefully in future” when she actually did.

After taking the incident to her chain of command, no action was taken. Not only that but it was decided that it was necessary “for the career of the rapist and the elite unit he served in” to keep him in place.

As for the woman, she was “moved across country, out of that elite unit, against her will." Her only solace could have been mental health treatment, which she waited more than a year for, but when that time came, she was medically discharged and told she had to leave the armed forces, again “against her will."

Dealing with 'cultural challenges doesn't happen overnight'

Ben Wallace, the Defense Secretary, argued that the situation for women in the UK military had been gradually getting better, as reported by The Guardian. However, Wallace did admit that dealing with “cultural challenges” in the military “doesn’t happen overnight,” adding that “the key here is that we take complaints seriously, they’re dealt with without fear or favor, there isn’t undue influence, the chain of command is removed from it.”

Dozens of UK police officers disciplined over sexual offenses

Since 2018, around 80 police officers in 22 forces throughout England and Wales have faced disciplinary action for inappropriate sexual relationships or sexual contact with victims, witnesses, or suspects, as per The Observer revealed in March of this year.

According to the data received through the request of information laws, the majority of persons facing disciplinary action were fired or resigned before being fired. Yet, ten cops stayed in their positions and received lesser punishments, such as written warnings, suspension, or management action. At least two faced criminal proceedings. Almost all the offenders were men, and all but two of the victims were women.

These "truly shocking figures" could be the tip of the iceberg, according to Jemima Olchawski, CEO of the Fawcett Society, a women's rights nonprofit. "However, considering that they only represent half of the police forces in England and Wales, it's likely that many more women have been harassed or abused by serving police officers," she said.

The findings come at a time when police are under greater scrutiny for complaints of inappropriate behavior and sexual abuse, with the Metropolitan Police Service, in particular, facing multiple allegations.