The head of the Royal Navy has defended the way the military handles rape and sexual abuse complaints.
Adm Sir Ben Key stated that the Navy had altered its complaint-investigating procedures.
Independent inquiries, according to the First Sea Lord, would be slower and “lead to less favorable outcomes.”
Following complaints of sexual harassment and intimidation of women in the Submarine Service made last month, the Navy has opened an investigation.
Catherine told Woman’s Hour earlier this month that she had been raped and been pregnant while serving at sea.
She explained that she did not report the rape at the time because she feared being labeled a troublemaker: “There is no complaints system that is distinct from the individuals who are being served.”
Catherine stated that her rape was the most serious occurrence she had encountered, but that she had also been sexually abused and constantly harassed.
Adm Sir Ben told Broadcasting House on Sunday that Catherine’s testimony was “heartbreaking” and that her treatment was “abhorrent.”
“It is undoubtedly true that, for a very long time, our inquiry methods were too tightly connected with the chain of command,” he stated.
“We have modified the policy so that anyone who desires to file a formal complaint would have the admissibility and processing of their complaint quickly removed from the unit they are serving in, evaluated at headquarters, and then independently investigated.”
However, Adm Sir Ben stated that anyone investigating charges of abuse or rape aboard a Navy vessel must comprehend how life at sea operates and evaluate “the context” in which the alleged offenses occurred.
He recommended examining the complaints from within the service so that lessons may be learned in the future.
“I am aware that several individuals are currently arguing that independent investigations should be conducted entirely outside of the Navy,” he explained.
However, one of my issues or concerns about it is that it will add time, and one of the things we need to do is study these matters much more swiftly.
He argued that outside investigators may be unfamiliar with naval life and the “day-to-day” demands encountered by servicemen and women.
“I would be extremely concerned that if we had a wholly separate process, we would both slow things down and provide less desirable results,” he said.
The Centre for Military Justice, a nonprofit that provides free, independent legal support to serving or former members of the Armed Forces, responded to the First Sea Lord’s interview on Sunday with the following tweet: “We appear to be moving two steps back for every one stride forward.
Several female Submarine Service whistleblowers told that they were subjected to mistreatment from all ranks.
A published allegation alleged that male crew members had developed a “crush depth rape list” detailing the sequence in which women would be molested in the event of a catastrophe.
Admiral Sir Ben referred to these accusations as “appalling.” “I find that very astounding,” he stated.
He said, “I am aware that, at the moment, the tales are primarily about the horrendous abuse of women, but our investigations have also uncovered men who were profoundly affected by the treatment they experienced.”
