Is enough being done to help better support Women in the Armed Forces?
It has become increasingly concerning to see the rising complaints of sexual violence against women in the Armed Forces – an institution described as a “hunting ground” in an article by the Guardian.
Following the inquest into Gunner Jaysley Beck’s death earlier this year, many other servicewomen have shared their experiences on social media. This shows the crisis faced in the Armed Forces when it comes to supporting women and I’m not convinced the Ministry of Defence’s two new plans to tackle it will spearhead real change.
The Guardian article shared the experience of a female solider named Alice who remained hypervigilant because of the harassment, objectification and “a sexualised undercurrent” found within the Armed Forces.
Alice was sexually assaulted by her fellow officer after a night at a ball. She was overwhelmed by the incident and chose not to report it out of fear of the implications it might have on her military career.
Having reached the rank of Captain, she later reluctantly resigned her commission. Alice struggled to care for other women in the forces whilst coping with her own trauma.
This is just one example of why the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been forced to make fundamental changes to better protect and support service women.
Minister for Veterans and People, Alistair Carns, said: “This Government was elected on a manifesto of change, and we are delivering for defence. I am personally committed to ensuring we do everything within our power to root out unacceptable behaviour and ensure the Armed Forces is a place where everyone can thrive.”
The MoD has confirmed the following changes have been implemented:
- A new specialist tri-service team: This team will deal with the most serious complaints, such as bullying, discrimination and harassment. The team will be independent of the single service chain of command, so will be dealt with by a team outside the commands of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. This is to ensure individuals feel confident to raise a complaint in addition to making sure any complaint is dealt with efficiently, fairly and in a standardised way.
- Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce: This has been set up by the Ministry of Defence with the initiative to change the culture found within the department. It will help raise awareness and fight violence against women in the Armed Forces.
Whilst it is positive to see the MoD has taken action to improve women’s service life and fight the unacceptable behaviours which have been found in the Armed Forces, there remains little optimism as to whether these changes will make a difference.
This is not the first time new policies, procedures and groups have been launched, and yet we are still waiting to see any noticeable change to the culture and attitudes found within the Armed Forces when it comes to sexual violence against women.
