Streeting 'sickened' by sex abuse claims at Army college
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has expressed outrage following reports of sexual abuse and a culture of misogyny at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate. The BBC reports that dozens of complaints have been filed over the last several years, prompting calls for a broader cultural inquiry within the armed forces.
Why it matters
The allegations raise serious concerns regarding the safety of young recruits and the institutional culture within the UK military.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The Army says it encourages anyone who has experienced or witnessed unacceptable or criminal behaviour to come forward
Warning: This article contains sexual language and details of sexual assault
Wes Streeting has said he is "absolutely sickened" by reports of rape and sexual abuse of young female recruits at the Army Foundation College (AFC) in Harrogate.
Four women told the BBC they were sexually assaulted and harassed while attending the North Yorkshire college, and described a culture of misogyny and sexual violence.
The defence secretary said he would be "looking in detail specifically at what's gone wrong at Harrogate, but also looking more broadly at how we lead a programme of culture change across our armed forces and across defence."
The Army said "unacceptable and criminal behaviour has absolutely no place in our armed forces" and urged victims and witnesses to come forward.
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