The much anticipated report “Protecting those who protect us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life” recounts the lived experience of women veterans serving in her the UK Armed Forces. It was released at 12.00 midnight yesterday. Our Patron Sarah Atherton MP, has bravely raised the much neglected issue of rape, sexual abuse, bullying and harassment for women (and men) serving in todays armed forces.

Forward Assist, a multi award winning charity and campaign organisation created Salute Her UK a ‘gender specific’ women veterans service to address the unmet needs of women who have been traumatised through lack of support and/or recognition of the damage caused by the criminal actions of others or given access to social justice following sexual assault and abuse in the military. Forward Assist has visited the USA on several occasions in the last few years to learn from those that have designed specific services for those victim/survivors of military sexual trauma and has adapted those interventions for a UK setting. Similarly we have presented our research findings to our Five Eyes (Canada, America, Australia & New Zealand ) showcasing our unique interventions to recognise , promote and celebrate the contribution of women service personnel. past and present. A conference looking at interventions for survivors of sexual abuse in the military will take place later in the year with our Five Eyes Partners.

Similarly our research paper ‘The Invisible Men’ which showcases the lived experience of male victims of Military Sexual Trauma will be released in August 2021 . The Salute Her Women Veterans Task Force has campaigned tirelessly for better services for victims and survivors and until recently those issues have been ignored and minimised by the MOD and the Government alike.

Forward Assist & Salute Her welcome the publication of the report and will continue to deliver ‘person centred’ trauma informed care to those traumatised by Military Sexual Trauma. (A term the Ministry of Defence and Office For Veterans Affairs refuse to acknowledge) probably because they fear a tsunami of current and historical compensation claims given the dereliction of duty in supporting women and men who have experienced sexual abuse during service.

Forward Assist CEO and qualified registered Social Worker said;

“In a career stretching over 36 years in a variety of Snr management posts in numerous social care settings I have never known such blatant disregard for the safe guarding and welfare of vulnerable individuals following rape, sexual assault or bullying and harassment. If this was any other group of people there would be a public outcry! Its a travesty that the needs and reputation of the institution (MOD) so often come before the needs of the victims and survivors. This lack of integrity and openness when coupled with a reluctance to listen to those with the moral courage to flag up the failings of the system is nothing less than a national disgrace and our attempts to inform Ministers and the MOD about the scale of this problem over the last 5 years, has in the main, fallen on deaf ears. We commend the work of Sarah Atherton MP and the Inquiry team, yet so much more needs to be done to reduce the risk of harm, provide appropriate and timely support to address the shortcomings of a culture that currently facilitates and perpetuates neglect and abuse. We all have a moral and legal responsibility to keep safe and protect those that step forward to protect us. The first step would be for the MOD to accept it has a problem and it needs to accept help from ‘outside the wire’ to address the problem as it is currently failing in its duty to protect those in their employ. When the time comes to sit around the table in an open and transparent way and commit to finding a solution we will be happy to share our expertise and assist in any way we can.”

You can read the full report here: See: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/24/defence-committee/news/156892/report-protecting-those-who-protect-us-women-in-the-armed-forces-from-recruitment-to-civilian-life/

Tony Wright CEO

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