Last year, an ex-army sergeant major was jailed for six months for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old soldier, who later took her own life.
Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, pinned down Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck and tried to kiss her in July 2021. She was found dead five months later in her barracks at Larkhill, Wiltshire.
The inquest into her death ruled the sexual assault and the Army’s failure to take appropriate action “more than minimally” contributed to her taking her life.
An MoD report last year found that 67% of women in the armed forces had experienced at least one sexualised behaviour in the previous 12 months, compared to 34% of men.
And earlier this year, an internal MoD report into army training establishments and unacceptable behaviours said evidence suggested the chain of command “still have some way to go before an inclusive culture trickles down to the lowest levels”.
“Some female trainees reported ‘not being wanted’ due to females being deemed to be ‘too much trouble’,” it said – adding there was some concern for younger female trainees not confident enough to report or call out unacceptable sexual behaviour or sexism.
AFC remains committed to creating a professional, supportive, and safe environment for all recruits, the Army told us, and “any suggestion otherwise contradicts the values of respect and inclusivity that we stand for”.
Now out of the armed forces, Tilly is rebuilding her life but is still deeply affected by her brief time at AFC.
The Army’s claims of tackling inequality, she says, while promoting inclusivity and diversity, were not what she experienced in Harrogate.
“I know if I had a daughter, I would never send her to the Army,” she says.
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