Victims of sexual crimes in Royal Navy, Army and RAF to receive better protections amid "gruesome scandals"

The new Armed Forces Bill, currently being passed through parliament, contains stronger measures to protect victims within the Service Justice System. This applies to military personnel and civilians who experience sexual assault, domestic abuse or stalking at the hands of serving members of the Armed Forces.

Natasha Mason, a solicitor in Bolt Burdon Kemp’s military claims team who served in the Royal Navy for 19 years, said it was a positive step forward, but it’s “too soon to say whether these proposals will result in tangible results or generate trust”.

She added: “It is not yet clear whether service personnel are being given a real choice about jurisdiction and/or how they can enforce obligations and protections under the Armed Forces Covenant. For many years now there has been consistent evidence that the Service Justice System has not just been failing victims of sexual crime but rather that it is entirely unfit for such a purpose.

“The conviction rates for sexual crimes have been criticised for being low and disproportionate. Victims also complain of a system designed to protect the Service rather than achieve justice.”

The bill promises new protective orders to enable swifter action against perpetrators, stronger guidance and support to help victims decide if they want to go through civilian courts or the military system, and give service police greater powers for investigations.

These include the ability for service police to authorise pre-charge custody. Under the current system, only Commanding Officers can authorise pre-charge detention after arrest. This can result in delays to investigations, makes it more difficult to preserve evidence, and risks further harm to victims and witnesses.

It’s hoped the reforms can tackle a worrying trend within the forces. The Armed Forces Sexualised Behaviours and Sexual Harassment Survey, published in November, found 32 per cent of female regulars were touched inappropriately or groped while serving. A total of eight per cent - from 65,795 regulars - suffered from “non-consensual sexual activity”.

A prevention programme was introduced by the government in the same month to tackle the issue, with teams being set up to tackle the cultural and behavioural root causes of unacceptable sexual behaviour. Startling examples include the case of Royal Artillery Gunner Jasley Beck, who was found to have taken her own life after the Army failed to deal with her complaints of sexual assault seriously. Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, was sentenced to six months in prison.

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Louise Sandher-Jones MP, minister for veterans and people, said: “Having served in the Army, I recognise the challenges victims can face when coming forward to report offences. We will ensure there is nowhere to hide for those who commit sexual violence. This Bill will strengthen protections for victims of serious and sexual crime, ensuring they receive the support they need and have a choice in how their case is handled.

“Unacceptable and criminal behaviour has no place in our Armed Forces. Defence will play our part in delivering on this Government’s commitment to halve violence against women and girls, while recognising that abuse can affect anyone."

Ms Mason said personnel will still need to be convinced that change is happening. She added: “Successive governments have failed to truly tackle this issue.

“Service personnel have been promised more oversight and transparency for years, and despite shifts towards a “zero tolerance” policy, we still see gruesome cases and scandals involving serious sexual assault and harassment. The reality is that laws and regulations cannot exist in a vacuum; they are only ever as good as the people following and enforcing them.”