Hundreds of women allege sexual abuse during British Army medical examinations

At Jordans Solicitors we have reported and commented on a regular basis over the last 3 - 4 years in relation to allegations of the sexual abuse of both men and women in the Armed Forces.

In a shocking new development, Wiltshire Police have now confirmed that there is an ongoing nationwide investigation in relation to complaints by hundreds of women of sexual abuse during their medical examination.  

The abuse is alleged to have occurred during mandatory enlistment medical examinations of female army recruits between the 1970’s and 2016. Multiple alleged abusers are being investigated. It also involves examinations at a number of different sites. It is understood that the Military Police commenced the investigation and then referred it to Wiltshire Police when the potential scale of the abuse became clear.  

The investigation has been named Operation Pianora and is said by the police to be still at an early stage.

These allegations are unfortunately consistent with our own experience of a systemic abuse of power and institutional failure in the Armed Forces. The significant number of complainants indicates a pattern of abuse that occurred over decades involving a number of abusers. It is likely that the alleged perpetrators of the abuse had absolute power over the highly vulnerable recruits and whether they would be allowed to enlist.

This scandal has emerged at the same time as it has been reported that the Service Prosecuting Authority – the military equivalent of the CPS – that further charges are being considered against other soldiers and personnel involved in the abuse and cover up of the abuse of Gunner Jaysley Beck. There can be no further mishandling of sexual abuse complaints.      

The Ministry of Defence has said that it fully supports the operation and has said that it is alarmed by the allegations.

In our own experience formal complaints of sexual abuse and harassment in the Armed Forces are often ignored or buried by senior officers. Threats are often made to attempt to discourage the complainant. Complainants have also been told to exclude information from their service complaints. 

There can be no more institutional inaction or failures on the part of the Armed Forces. The women who have bravely come forward to make these allegations deserve genuine accountability and for action to be taken against the perpetrators of the abuse. The Ministry of Defence should also fully co-operate and provide meaningful support for the survivors of the abuse and not just words.