Four women have told us that they were sexually assaulted and harassed as teenagers at a British Army training college. They say it ruined their lives and they want the college to be closed down. The Army Foundation College in Harrogate, North Yorkshire is for teenagers who want a life in the armed forces. Here they're taught fitness and basic military skills. But now it's at the center of serious allegations from several women who went to the college over the last 5 years.
One of the women, Tilly, says she was raped by fellow recruits. She says they started taking her clothes off and then this led to them doing stuff she didn't consent to. Another woman, Monica, says she too was attacked by a junior soldier. He trapped her in the room, stood against the door so she couldn't get out, and then pushed himself up against her and started kissing her face and touching her all over. The women say there's a problem with sexual assault, bullying, and sexual abuse at the college.
The Ministry of Defense says unacceptable and criminal behavior has absolutely no place in the armed forces. It says it's created the Defense Serious Crime Command, which is independent and outside of the Army Chain of Command, and has a specialist team who help victims throughout the process of justice. The women say they want an independent inquiry into the college and they want it to be closed down completely. They say there's a worrying amount of girls that haven't spoken up about assaults and they portray it as the best thing you can do and then you go there and it's just like they are completely taking advantage of these young people. The women also talk about confidence, protection, and safeguarding and how they were affected by their experiences.
