Addressing the knowledge gap: sexual violence and harassment in the UK Armed Forces

J R Army Med Corps. 2018 Sep;164(5):362-364. doi: 10.1136/jramc-2017-000810. Epub 2017 Sep 6.

Abstract

Despite media interest in alleged sexual violence and harassment in the UK military, there remains a paucity of UK-based peer-reviewed research in this area. Ministry of Defence and service-specific reports support the suggestion that UK service personnel may be at risk of experiencing sexual harassment. These reports however highlight a reluctance by service personnel to report sexual harassment through official channels. In this article, we discuss the paucity of UK-based research pertaining to the prevalence and impact of sexual harassment in the military, explore potential reasons for this gap in knowledge and outline future directions and priorities for academic research.

Keywords: armed forces; military; sexual assault; sexual harassment; sexual violence.

Publication types

  • Editorial

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Military Personnel*
  • Research*
  • Sex Offenses*
  • Sexual Harassment*
  • United Kingdom