Browse Sections
Interactive
Popular Sections
Competition
Win skiing at Chill Factore
Five lucky winners - and a friend each - will enjoy a skiing session at Chill Factore, the UK's largest indoor ski slope; plus a chance to meet the England Alpine Ski Team.Click here for details
Partly sunnyNews
| 
Submit Comments
advertisement
Damning report into army bullying
14/ 3/2005
THE armed forces were today urged by MPs to establish an independent military complaints commission to deal with bullying and harassment in the services.
In a highly critical report, the Commons Defence Select Committee said that the armed forces - particularly the Army - had "failed to grasp the nettle of duty of care" to its personnel.
It called on the Ministry of Defence to consider raising the age for recruits joining the services to 18.
The committee's report follows widespread complaints of bullying and harassment in the services in the wake of the deaths of four recruits at the Deepcut Army barracks in Surrey in shooting incidents.
The committee said that lack of sufficient data made it impossible to gauge the full extent of bullying in the forces.
But it said it was clear that the true level of bullying was under-reported and it blamed the culture within the services of characterising victims as "weak".
"In the past, insufficient weight has been given to the issue of bullying, which led to a tolerance of, or at least insufficient action being taken against, bullying," it said.
"In recent years, attempts have been made to implement what it termed `zero tolerance', but much bullying by both superiors and peers will continue to go unreported unless the culture changes.
Structures
"Accessible and independent channels for reporting are essential. The Armed Forces, and particularly the Army, still do not seem to understand the extent to which their hierarchical structures make it likely that abuses will continue."
In calling for the creation of an independent military complaints commission, the committee said it should have the power to mount investigations and make binding recommendations on the services.
It also called for the introduction of professional counsellors in training camps who would be able to advise recruits and initiate monitoring and support for "at risk" individuals.
The committee stopped short of calling for the full independent inquiry demanded by the families, but said the final decision should rest with the new commission.
It was notably critical of the way in which inquiries such as Deepcut were carried out.
"The lack of transparency in the investigative process and its outcome has fuelled the disquiet surrounding incidents," the report said.
Although it praised moves to improve the process, the Defence Committee said a new protocol between the Home Department Police Forces and the MoD Service Police should be put in place "as a matter of urgency".
It said: "We note that the Service Police have emphasised the need to `think murder'.
"Nevertheless, previous failings on the part of both civil and military police forces cannot pass without comment."
What do you think of the report's findings? Have your say.
Most recent 2 of 2 user comments
14/03/2005 at 19:01
Sign up to the weekly
news
update
What should be done?
27/12/2005 at 23:50
Offensive or Inappropriate?
Please let us know the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.