Head of the Royal Navy defends handling of rape allegations

The caput of the Royal Navy has defended the mode the work handles allegations of rape and intersexual abuse.

Adm Sir Ben Key told BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House the Navy had changed however it investigates complaints.

The First Sea Lord insisted autarkic investigations would beryllium slower and "lead to little bully outcomes".

The Navy has launched an enquiry pursuing allegations made past period of bullying and intersexual harassment against women successful the Submarine Service.

Earlier this month, a pistillate - known arsenic 'Catherine' - told Woman's Hour she had been raped and fallen large portion serving astatine sea.

She told the programme she did not study the rape astatine the clip due to the fact that she was disquieted astir being labelled a troublemaker: "There is nary complaints strategy that is wholly abstracted to the radical that are serving."

Catherine said her rape was the astir superior incident, but that she was besides sexually assaulted and regularly experienced harassment.

Speaking to Broadcasting House connected Sunday, Adm Sir Ben described Catherine's grounds arsenic "heart-breaking", calling her attraction "abhorrent".

"It is perfectly existent that for a agelong time, our probe processes were excessively intimately aligned with the concatenation of command, which could past connected juncture beryllium seen arsenic presenting a conflict," helium said.

"We person changed it present truthful that anyone who wishes to rise a ceremonial complaint, the admissibility and the handling of that ailment is instantly taken distant from the portion they're serving successful and assessed astatine the headquarters, and volition past beryllium independently investigated."

But Adm Sir Ben said those examining allegations of maltreatment oregon rape connected committee a Navy vas needed to recognize however beingness astatine oversea works and see "the context" successful which the alleged offences took place.

He suggested the champion spot to analyse the complaints was from wrong the service, truthful lessons could beryllium learned going forward.

"I cognize that determination are a fig of radical claiming astatine the infinitesimal that erstwhile they speech astir autarkic investigation, that should beryllium wholly extracurricular of the Navy altogether," helium said.

"But 1 of my challenges, oregon concerns, astir that is that, actually, that's conscionable going to adhd clip - and 1 of the things we truly request to bash is to analyse these things overmuch much quickly."

He suggested extracurricular investigators whitethorn not recognize naval beingness and deficiency the discourse of pressures felt by servicemen and women "on a day-to-day basis".

"I would beryllium truly disquieted that if we were mounting ourselves successful a wholly autarkic process, we would some dilatory it down, and and really pb to little bully outcomes," helium said.

In October, respective pistillate whistleblowers who served successful the Submarine Service told the Daily Mail however they faced mistreatment from each ranks.

One reported allegation claimed antheral unit members had compiled a database mounting retired the bid successful which women would beryllium assaulted successful the lawsuit of a catastrophic event, a alleged "crush extent rape list".

Adm Sir Ben described those allegations arsenic "appalling". "I conscionable find it astonishing," helium said.

He added: "I cognize astatine the moment, the stories are astir dreadful attraction of women but what our investigations are uncovering is besides men who felt truly severely affected by the attraction they've received."