Six British soldiers arrested for ‘sexually assaulting' female teenage soldier in her sleep
In a horrific new report, six soldiers of the British Army have been arrested over an alleged sex attack on a sleeping teenage colleague, it has been claimed. The 17-year-old woman supposedly screamed when she woke to find the men, one of whom was a staff sergeant, gathered around her.
According to the Sun, the teenager's attackers, who had apparently been drinking, later fled and she immediately reported their actions to bosses. The involved people were arrested by military police on Friday and Monday last week, and reports further claim that the accused have since been released under investigation.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "There's no place for this kind of action in the military. If true, those involved must face the full force of the law." He further added that he was "appalled" by the allegation so much so that he ordered a review into bullying and harassment in the Armed Forces on Friday.
He hopes that this strategy will ensure an incident of this nature does not happen again. General Sir Mark Alexander Popham Carleton-Smith, Chief of the General Staff, said: "Inappropriate behavior is downright unacceptable. It's in stark contrast with everything the Army represents. It betrays an indiscipline wildly at odds with the values and standards that represent the fabric of not just our Army but the nation's Army."
Insiders further informed the media outlet that the teenager is now being offered counseling and has received immense support after the alleged attack.
This case of alleged sexual assault comes days after four members of the Parachute Regiment recorded themselves on film while shooting at Jeremy Corbyn's face during target practice in Afghanistan. The "unacceptable" footage had gone viral after it was posted on social media with the British Army confirming a full investigation has been launched.
The incidents of harassment against female soldiers in the British army have been on the rise. As recently as 2018, after the army’s 2018 Speak Out survey, British military chiefs had vowed to do more to tackle sexual harassment in the army after a report revealed that 10 female soldiers said they believed they had been raped in 2017. The report in Financial Times state 326 servicewomen in the report said they had suffered “particularly upsetting experiences” of a sexual nature in 2017. Of the 326, 10 individuals said they believed they had been raped.