EXIT WOUNDS REPORT

Background 

It wasn’t that long ago when serving members of the LGBT+ community could be dismissed from all branches of the UK Armed Forces on the basis of their sexuality. Prior to 2000, if members of the UK military were found to be lesbian, gay or bi-sexual they could face court martial, be expelled from the military losing medals, pension rights and/or face incarceration, and to add insult to injury, a criminal record. At the very least they would face prejudice, discrimination, homophobic abuse, humiliation and for some, physical violence and sexual assault. 

Bizarrely there are no exact figures, but it is estimated that thousands were dismissed from the UK military on account of their sexuality. Figures are masked because many were medically discharged, as ‘homosexuality’ was at that time, classed as a mental health disorder until that definition was repealed by the World Health Organisation in 1990. 

For those individuals discharged from the UK armed forces because of their sexuality, the trauma is both enduring and hurtful, for others their lives have been traumatically defined by the additional experience of being physically and sexually assaulted and in some cases raped, by colleagues in a twisted, barbaric and brutal attempt to change their sexual orientation. Those traumatised by such experiences struggle to come to terms with these events and experience shame, guilt and the destruction of their sense of self, which in turn destroys their loyalty and affiliation with an institution that has both abused and betrayed their trust.

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