The head of the Royal Navy has ordered an investigation into “abhorrent” allegations of inappropriate behaviour in the submarine service and declared that sexual assault and harassment has no place in the fleet.
It follows claims from whistleblowers who have made harrowing allegations of bullying, misogyny and sexual harassment suffered by female members.
According to the Daily Mail, the abuse took place in the submarine service for more than a decade after the branch lifted its ban on female recruits in 2011.
Among the allegations made are submariners compiling a “crush depth rape list”, in which women were ranked in the order they should be raped in a catastrophic event.
Senior officers have also been accused of making sexualised gestures and comments towards female personnel they command. Women also reported being screamed at and hit with clipboards, the newspaper said.
Admiral Sir Ben Key, the first sea lord and chief of the naval staff, wrote on Twitter that anyone who is found culpable will be held accountable regardless of rank.
He said: “I am deeply disturbed to hear of allegations of inappropriate behaviour in the submarine service and I want to reassure our people, and anyone who is reading this, that any activity which falls short of the highest of standards the Royal Navy sets itself is totally unacceptable and not a true reflection of what service life should be.
“These allegations are abhorrent. Sexual assault and harassment has no place in the Royal Navy and will not be tolerated.
“I have directed my senior team to investigate these allegations thoroughly. Anyone who is found culpable will be held accountable for their actions regardless of their rank or status.”
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that while most Royal Navy personnel enjoy rewarding careers, for some, predominantly women, their experience has been affected by inappropriate sexualised behaviour.
The MoD said they accept that more needs to be done and that they are improving reporting mechanisms for sexual offences. In July, Britain’s armed forces introduced a ban on the use of sex workers abroad for the first time as part of an attempt to stamp out sexual exploitation and abuse across the military.
Personnel found to have engaged in what the MoD described as “transactional sex” face the prospect of dismissal. It was the first time a consistent prohibition across all three services – Royal Navy, RAF and army – was introduced.
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