The British Army has described reports of rape and sexual abuse against female recruits at a military training college for teenagers as “extremely distressing” and “unacceptable”.
The Army has called for victims and witnesses of criminal behaviour to come forward after four young women told the BBC they suffered sexual abuse and harassment while attending the Army Foundation College (AFC) at Harrogate in North Yorkshire, which provides basic training to under-19s.
“Unacceptable and criminal behaviour has absolutely no place in our Armed Forces and these reports are extremely distressing and serious,” a spokesperson for the Army said on Thursday.
“People join the Army in the hope of having a fantastic career and any such reports are unacceptable and go completely against everything the Army stands for.
“We encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed unacceptable or criminal behaviour at the Army Foundation College to come forward.”
The spokesperson added: “We know this can be difficult and that’s why a number of changes have been made in recent years to support victims, including the creation of the Defence Serious Crime Command, which is independent and outside of the Army chain of command and has a specialist team who help victims throughout the process of justice.”
A woman whom the BBC called Tilly told the broadcaster she had been raped aged 17 at the college by fellow soldiers.
She said the attack lasted for hours and took place after she was casually invited into a soldier’s room.
“There were a lot of them. They touched me in places, made inappropriate comments, calling me a thing rather than a girl,” Tilly told the BBC.
“It went on for hours. I felt like a piece of meat.”
Another woman whom the BBC called Monica said she was sexually assaulted by a fellow soldier who trapped her in a room before kissing and touching her without her consent.
Another woman, whose story was shared with the BBC by her mother, was allegedly sexually assaulted and subjected to sexual harassment during her training and would sleep across the door to her room to stop male soldiers entering.
Instructors were also accused of inappropriate behaviour, including marking girls’ looks out of 10 and walking into the girls’ dorms without knocking while cadets were undressed, according to the BBC.
The spokesperson for the Army said the most recent Ofsted report and visit by the Children’s Commissioner and safeguarding authorities in January 2026 “recognised the culture of care (at AFC) and the confidence junior soldiers have in raising concerns”.
During a Commons defence select committee hearing earlier this year, Labour MP Emma Lewell said that between 2021 and 2024 there had been 122 investigations into sexual offences against under-18-year-olds at AFC – 80 of which involved sexual assault.
Ms Lewell also said North Yorkshire Council had received 89 safeguarding notifications in the last five years concerning staff at the college.
The council has been approached for comment.
On Thursday, the AFC is holding a graduation parade, which will see 900 junior soldiers celebrate the end of their basic training at the college in front of around 5,000 family members.
The AFC graduation events are one of the largest annual military parades in the UK.
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
