Royal Air Force<\/a>.<\/p>\nLouise Sandher-Jones, the minister for veterans and people, described the scale as \u201cdeeply disturbing\u201d and praised the courage of those who had come forward.<\/p>\n
More women than men had contacted police so far, with most aged 18-25 at the time of the alleged offences, but some were as young as 16, said Wiltshire police, which is leading the investigation.<\/p>\n
Both serving and former military personnel have contacted the police, as well as people who did not join the armed forces following enlistment medical examinations.<\/p>\n
Reports relate to alleged incidents from the 1970s up to 2016, at different locations across the UK. There are concentrations in places that have multiple military bases such as Wiltshire and North Yorkshire.<\/p>\n
The senior investigating officer, Det Supt Darren Hannant, said: \u201cThe number of people who have contacted us highlights the seriousness of the abuse being reported. My team and I are committed to engaging with each survivor and witness.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said it could be that the number of reports would increase in the short term because of the publicity the investigation was receiving.<\/p>\n
Hannant said forces across the UK were helping Wiltshire police. He said it was believed there were a number of alleged perpetrators but that he did not at this stage believe offending was organised.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cMy hypothesis is that this is a scenario in which an opportunity exists for people who are prepared to behave in an inappropriate way. I don\u2019t get the impression that there\u2019s an organised nature to the offending. <\/strong>We would like to speak to anyone who may have information which can inform our investigation. We recognise how difficult it can be to come forward with experiences like these, particularly when they occurred many years ago.<\/p>\n\u201cThe scope of our inquiry has widened to include anyone who has information about concerning behaviour at military medical examinations \u2013 including civilians, or those serving in any branch of the armed forces. You do not need to be sure whether your experience falls within the scope of this investigation. Our team will assess any report and ensure it is handled appropriately.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe information you provide helps us understand what has happened and identify any steps we need to take to safeguard others.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sandher-Jones said: \u201cThe scale of this response is deeply disturbing, but it highlights the courage of those coming forward to share these distressing experiences, and I want to assure every single person that their voice matters. I\u2019m committed to rooting out sexual misconduct wherever we find it and fully support Wiltshire police as it pursues this investigation with the thoroughness it demands.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose who serve, or seek to serve, our country deserve to be treated with dignity and respect at every stage. I urge anyone with information to come forward \u2013 you will be listened to and supported.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ahmed Al-Nahhas, a partner and head of military claims at the law firm Bolt Burdon Kemp, said: \u201cIt is not surprising to me that the ongoing police investigation has been expanded to encompass all three services; these issues are rarely restricted to the few bad apples. Rather, these problems are endemic and have been for many years. It is reassuring that victims are now feeling more able to come forward and discuss their ordeals. It could be a turning point in how the armed forces address sexual crime in their own ranks.\u201d<\/p>\n
The investigation, codenamed Operation Pianora, can be contacted here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n#military #sexual #abuse #investigation #widened #contact #police #Military<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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