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Now UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has called for much more must be done to welcome women into careers in the army. Mr Wallace said he was determined not to squander new reforms in the army “by failing to fix and get right the culture”. Earlier this year Mr Wallace lifted a gagging order to allow servicewomen to give testimonies to a defence select sub-committee inquiry that was investigating abuses of power in the military.
The lifting of the gagging order led to 4,000 women sending written testimony to the inquiry.
The Defence Secretary is set to meet senior army generals today to address concerns raised about bullying and harassment within the military.
Mr Wallace said he will address other issues such as behaviour at the Sandhurst military academy and the murder of a Kenyan woman in 2012.
The Defence Minister will meet with General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, chief of the general staff and his deputy and the commander in chief land forces.
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“We have to do more on that front.”
The Army said it would work with the Defence Secretary to “drive out unacceptable behaviour at all levels, particularly with respect to the treatment of women”.
The news comes after a lawyer at the Centre for Military Justice who has represented women in the military, said Mr Wallace had been told “time and time again” about these issues.
Ms Emma Norton said the Defence Minister had “failed to take the fundamental changes” that had been recommended to him.
Ms Norton was speaking on Woman’s Hour on BBC Radio 4.
She claimed Mr Wallace had ignored advice in the 2019 Wigston Review into inappropriate behaviour in the Army.
The report advised that serious complaints such as serious sexual harassment should be investigated by the civil courts.
According to The Times, seven British Army personnel could now face prosecution over the suicide of a female Sandhurst cadet, Olivia Perk.
The Service Prosecuting Authority (SPA) is considering charges against Sandhurst staff for failing to carry out their duties to safeguard the cadet’s welfare.
One female former lieutenant colonel reportedly said the Sandhurst Academy needed “dragging out of the dark ages”.
An alleged murder of a Kenyan woman is also expected to be discussed by the Defence Minister.
The woman’s body was found in a septic tank in 2012.
There has also been an alleged subsequent cover-up by members of the Army in the horrific murder.
The Sunday Time said that the Ministry of Defence’s response to its claims were “totally inadequate”.
The newspaper claims that the identity of the Kenyan woman’s alleged killer had been an “open secret” in the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment for close to a decade.
Senior Government sources said the Army was “not brave enough” to make the systematic changes needed.
A source added: “It hasn’t changed but society has changed.”
Referring to the case of the Kenyan woman Agnes Wanjiru an MOD spokesperson said: “The jurisdiction for this investigation rests with the Kenyan Police, who we continue to work closely with on a daily basis to provide all possible support.
“This remains an active investigation with multiple lines of enquiry. In order to protect the investigation, and in the interests of justice, we cannot comment further.”
Referring to the death of OCdt Olivian Perks an Army Spokesperson said: “Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the family and friends of Officer Cadet Olivia Perks at this difficult time.
“A Royal Military Police investigation has concluded and the matter has been referred to the Service Prosecution Authority, it would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
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