The British Navy has ordered an investigation into a number of reported cases of sexual harassment. According to information from the Daily Mail, several women aboard submarines were allegedly sexually insulted and harassed.
Officers aboard a boat are said to have prepared a ‘rape list’ in the event of an underwater disaster. “These allegations are abhorrent,” Royal Navy Chief of Staff Ben Key wrote on Twitter. “Anyone found guilty will be held accountable for their actions, regardless of rank or status,” Key said.
“Continuous campaign of sexual bullying”
The abuse is said to have been commonplace in submarine service for more than a decade after the Navy lifted its long-standing ban on female recruits in 2011.
Former officer Sophie Brook (30) is one of the whistleblowers who brought the incident to light. “The best thing I’ve ever done is resign from the Navy. But I’m worried about the women I left behind. There was a constant campaign of sexual bullying,” she told the Daily Mail.
According to Brook, the Navy is a “hostile and misogynistic place”. An anonymous informant who, according to the Daily Mail, had served in a high position in the fleet also reported regular sexual harassment.
The Department of Defense confirmed that some members of the Navy – especially women – have experienced inappropriate sexualized behavior from their comrades. More needs to be done to prevent this. (SDA/ced)