Military faces #MeToo moment as thousands of female personnel detail abuse
Evidence of ‘bullying, harassment, discrimination, sexual abuse and rape’ handed to inquiry
![Female members of the 904 Expeditionary Air Wing in Kandahar, Afghanistan](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mk4yjcNLK6arCKDWu5VXEU-415-80.jpg)
MPs investigating alleged abuses of power in the UK’s armed forces have been hit with a barrage of evidence from female personnel and veterans.
An “unprecedented” total of more than 4,100 current and former servicewomen have submitted written evidence to the defence sub-committee some of which detailed claims of “bullying, harassment, discrimination, sexual abuse and rape”, The Times reports.
Around 40% of the testimonies, submitted via an anonymous survey, are from serving members of the military. The inquiry is being led by Army veteran Sarah Atherton, “who is the only sitting female MP with a regular military background”, the paper adds.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As the inquiry prepared to hear the first oral evidence today, Atheron said that the “weight of evidence” was “compelling” and included numerous complaints of “endemic low-grade sexism”.
Serving members of the Armed Forces were allowed to submit evidence after Defence Secretary Ben Wallace lifted a gagging order last year.
Wallace said this week that he was “grateful to all our servicewomen who shared their stories”, which are “providing valuable insights for this review”.
The inquiry - formally known as Women in the Armed Forces: from Recruitment to Civilian Life - has also received written submissions from charities and other organisations.
Lieutenant Colonel Diane Allen, who resigned in February 2020, will be the first to give spoken evidence. Allen hit the spotlight last May when she “revealed she was part of a private outpouring of grievances aired by female officers in a closed online forum” following the abuse allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, as Sky News reported at the time.
She told the broadcaster that she “would certainly love for the army to have its #MeToo moment and just acknowledge what happened and move on”.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Joe Evans is the world news editor at TheWeek.co.uk. He joined the team in 2019 and held roles including deputy news editor and acting news editor before moving into his current position in early 2021. He is a regular panellist on The Week Unwrapped podcast, discussing politics and foreign affairs.
Before joining The Week, he worked as a freelance journalist covering the UK and Ireland for German newspapers and magazines. A series of features on Brexit and the Irish border got him nominated for the Hostwriter Prize in 2019. Prior to settling down in London, he lived and worked in Cambodia, where he ran communications for a non-governmental organisation and worked as a journalist covering Southeast Asia. He has a master’s degree in journalism from City, University of London, and before that studied English Literature at the University of Manchester.
-
Red Speedo: a 'darkly comic' doping drama
The Week Recommends Lucas Hnath's play stars Finn Cole as a 'reptilian' swimmer determined to win at all costs
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
One Aldwych: where London's creative spirit takes centre stage
The Week Recommends This five-star Covent Garden hotel is the epitome of elegant independence
By Julia O'Driscoll, The Week UK Published
-
Charlotte Dujardin and equestrianism's dark side
In the Spotlight Olympic gold medallist and dressage star's suspension over horse whipping brings abuse in horse sports back into the spotlight
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
British defence: the crisis in the Armed Forces
Talking Point Depleted military power may not be able to meet its own commitment to up defence spending to 2.5%
By The Week UK Published
-
Will Russian advance in Kharkiv prove decisive in Ukraine war?
Today's Big Question Recent gains in northeast could be 'a momentary setback' or a 'turning point', as Kyiv counts the cost of US delay
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
How would we know if World War Three had started?
Today's Big Question With conflicts in Ukraine, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, the 'spark' that could ignite all-out war 'already exists'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The issue of women and conscription
Under the radar Ukraine military adviser hints at widening draft to women, as other countries weigh defence options amid global insecurity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Growing turmoil in resource-rich Democratic Republic of Congo
Under the Radar South African troops help army battle rebel groups in the world's leading cobalt producing country
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Grant Shapps goes to war on military's 'woke' diversity policies
Talking Point Defence secretary condemns 'extremist culture' as Army reportedly plans to relax security checks on overseas recruits
By The Week UK Published
-
Will Ukraine's leadership reset work?
Today's Big Question Zelenskyy hints at ousting of popular military chief, but risks backlash amid dwindling munitions, delayed funding and Russian bombardment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years: how powerful is Pakistan's military?
Today's Big Question The country's armed forces ignore country's economic woes, control its institutions and, critics say, engineer election results
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published