London – Over the course of the past year, the Army Foundation college in Harrogate, England, which trains 16 and 17-year-olds for the British Army, has reported nine rapes, two sexual assaults, and one case of voyeurism to local law enforcement. These incidents occurred between July 22, 2022, and August 17, 2023, according to North Yorkshire Police.
Despite these reports of sexual misconduct, the college has received an “outstanding” rating from OFSTED, the U.K. education regulator. OFSTED describes the college as the only junior-entry phase 1 training establishment in the British Army, focusing on basic military training and the development of future leaders.
In 2021, the U.K. government acknowledged that there were 22 victims of sexual offenses at the Army Foundation college.
David Gee, an adviser with the Child Rights International Network, expressed concerns about the safety of the Army Foundation college, given the number of reported incidents. Gee pointed out that the age of army recruits contributes to their vulnerability.
“This issue isn’t unique to Britain,” Gee told CBS News. “Joining up at 16 or 17 increases the vulnerability of young people compared to joining up at older ages in this type of institution.”
The U.K. is one of the few countries, alongside the United States, that enlists children under the age of 18 in the armed services. However, these recruits are not sent to the front lines until they reach 18 years old. Gee highlighted that female recruits in the U.K. face even greater vulnerability than their male counterparts.
“When you have a nine-to-one male to female ratio in the armed forces, the vulnerability of girls is significantly heightened due to the lack of gender parity in military training,” he explained.
A parliamentary report from 2021 revealed that the U.K. military was failing to protect female recruits, with nearly two-thirds experiencing sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination throughout their careers.
The report included distressing accounts of gang rape, bullying for refusing sexual advances, and competitions among male soldiers to “bag” women on ships or in camps. This week, an internal Army review into the death of 19-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck found that she likely took her own life after enduring persistent unwanted behavior from her superior. The review disclosed that Beck’s boss, who remained unnamed, had pursued a relationship with her and bombarded her with thousands of messages and voicemails leading up to her tragic death.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
