Admiral Sir Ben Key, the First Sea Lord, has ordered an investigation into allegations of sexual assault and harassment within the Royal Navy's submarine service, describing the claims as 'abhorrent'. The move follows whistleblower reports of a so-called 'crush depth rape list' ranking female personnel, as well as accounts of bullying and sexualised behaviour.
The allegations, reported by the Daily Mail, span over a decade since the ban on female recruits was lifted in 2011. Whistleblowers claim submariners compiled a list ranking women in the order they should be raped in a catastrophic event. Senior officers are also accused of making sexualised gestures and comments, while women reported being screamed at and hit with clipboards.
In a statement on Twitter, Admiral Key said: 'I am deeply disturbed to hear of these allegations... Sexual assault and harassment has no place in the Royal Navy and will not be tolerated.' He added that anyone found culpable would be held accountable regardless of rank. The Ministry of Defence acknowledged that while most personnel have rewarding careers, the experiences of some, predominantly women, have been affected by inappropriate sexualised behaviour.
The MoD stated it is improving reporting mechanisms for sexual offences. In July, the armed forces introduced a ban on the use of sex workers abroad, with personnel found engaging in 'transactional sex' facing possible dismissal. Former Rear Admiral Chris Parry called for 'zero tolerance', noting that in the compressed submarine environment, 'everything becomes exaggerated'.
Emma Norton, director of the Centre for Military Justice, told Sky News that only about 10% of women who experience serious bullying and harassment make formal complaints due to a lack of faith in the system. She said the navy has failed to act on repeated recommendations for greater independent oversight into such complaints.
