Armed Forces sexual misconduct cases: Chain of command must be removed

The tragic case of Gunner Jaysley Beck has once again highlighted the challenges women face in the British Armed Forces.

While progress has been made on gender equality and misconduct, Gnr Beck's story is a painful reminder that serious failings persist.

The challenge now is to acknowledge improvements while tackling the systemic issues that still put service personnel at risk.

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Despite reforms, the stories emerging now mirror those I heard in 2021 when I chaired a Defence Select Committee inquiry into women's experiences in the military.

Gnr Beck's case is just the latest example of failures in leadership and accountability. The most heartbreaking aspect? The sheer helplessness she must have felt.

Every fortnight, service members—men and women—reach out to me for help.

Harassment, bullying, intimidation and abuse are prevalent reasons.

Almost all relate to the complaints system, exposing widespread mistrust. The question to ask is why are service personnel turning to me instead of the welfare structures in place?

One of the biggest obstacles to real change is the military's internal complaints system.

There is an alternative route to complain, via the Central Admissibility Teams, but commanding officers still play a central role in handling sexual misconduct cases within their units.

While some COs take this responsibility seriously, others lack the training, expertise or impartiality to investigate properly.

Can the chain of command ever truly be trusted to police itself?

Evidence suggests some complaints are still being buried - not always out of malice, but due to a belief that losing a skilled soldier under the Zero Tolerance policy introduced in 2022 is too high a price.

Some victims, fearing a disproportionate response, choose to suffer in silence rather than report a "less severe" offence.

Meanwhile, in practice, very few personnel have actually been discharged under the policy as they are deemed "too valuable".

The result? Confusion, inconsistency and continued impunity.

For Zero Tolerance to work, it must be clear, consistent and strictly enforced across all branches of the military.

The Ministry of Defence must go further.

The creation of the Defence Serious Crime Unit (DSCU) was a step forward, but it is overstretched and under-resourced.

Expanding its capacity and ensuring all sexual misconduct cases are handled outside the chain of command would create a fairer, more transparent system.

The military has proven - again in the case of Gnr Beck - that it cannot "mark its own homework".

Social media has made it harder for the MOD to control the narrative. The challenge now is how to prevent these issues from spiralling beyond its grasp.

But the focus shouldn't be on damage control - it should be on real reform. Another key issue is the lack of women in leadership.

Women make up just 12% of the Armed Forces, with even fewer in senior roles.

More female representation is critical—not through tokenistic diversity quotas, but through offering a welcoming environment where women can thrive, with equality of opportunity and progression based on merit.

Finally, the MOD must embrace external oversight.

Plans for an Independent Armed Forces Commissioner are promising, but this role must have real power to investigate complaints and hold leadership to account.

Transparency essential

The MOD has long resisted outside scrutiny, but transparency is essential if it wants to rebuild trust.

The Armed Forces have made progress - new policies, units and investigations have laid the groundwork for change.

But the old systems, open to manipulation, remain.

My recommendation? Remove the chain of command from all sexual misconduct cases.

The case of Gnr Jaysley Beck proves that policy alone is not enough.

The military needs a cultural shift - one that prioritises leadership, accountability and transparency.

The MOD must now ask itself:

• Are we truly committed to Zero Tolerance, or is it just a slogan?
• Can the military be trusted to investigate itself, or do we need full independence?
• Will servicewomen ever feel safe and respected in uniform?

Change is happening.

But until every service member, regardless of gender, can serve without fear of harassment, discrimination or betrayal, the mission is far from over.

Sarah Atherton is a former minister for defence People, a member of the Defence Select Committee and an MP