Safe, respected, valued: Prince William's championing of servicewomen welcomed
A former defence minister has said she is pleased to see the Prince of Wales backing servicewomen after he revealed that he has been working to ensure women in the military feel safe, respected and valued.
Sarah Atherton, an Army veteran and former MP, said the Prince had shown determination to learn what military life is like in reality, both the positives and the negatives, in a post on LinkedIn.
Ms Atherton's remarks come after it was revealed that William had spoken about his drive to help improve inclusivity for women in the Armed Forces.
Prince William, who served in the three services in various roles, including as a second lieutenant in the Household Cavalry, has been on a fact-finding mission, meeting servicewomen from across the three services to understand more about their experiences.
He heard how some servicewomen had to deal with inappropriate comments, rumours being spread if women rejected men's advances, intoxicated harassment in barracks and servicewomen being treated as "commodities".
The Prince of Wales convened a meeting with senior leaders across the defence sector to discuss what is being done to address the concerns, and is looking at a longer-term initiative on the issue.
Ms Atherton led the inquiry into women in the Armed Forces in 2021, which found that the Ministry of Defence was failing to protect female personnel.
The inquiry heard evidence of bullying, sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape experienced by female personnel.
What progress has been made on protecting women in the Armed Forces?
Polly Miller-Perkins, a former Air Commodore who served for over 30 years in the Royal Air Force, was appointed as the Armed Forces Commissioner in April this year.
Air Cdre (Ret'd) Miller-Perkins has powers to investigate welfare concerns, as well as issues impacting service life, including equipment, housing and unacceptable behaviours.
"The Armed Forces Commissioner's appointment is a solid step forward. Establishing the office takes time and work around safeguarding at training establishments has begun," Ms Atherton went on to say in her LinkedIn post.
"However, expectations are so high, and concerns about independence and the freedom to speak without fear of repercussions must be addressed."
She continued by saying that there is more work required to make women feel as safe as men in the military, particularly around the culture.
"Going backwards is not an option!" She said. "Reputation and operational effectiveness demands more!"
Alongside the Armed Forces Commissioner, the Government is pushing the Armed Forces Bill through Parliament, which aims to make changes to the Service Justice System to better protect victims of domestic abuse, sexual harm, stalking and harassment.
The bill includes new protective orders to enable quicker action against perpetrators, therefore decreasing the risk of further harm to victims.
John Healey, the former defence secretary who resigned in June this year, was a vocal critic of sexual abuse and harassment within the Armed Forces.
"Let me be clear: such behaviour has no place in our Armed Forces, just as it has no place in any workplace – not now, not ever," Mr Healey told the House of Commons.
Despite these measures, a MOD survey conducted last year found that more than two-thirds of women serving had experienced sexualised behaviour in the last 12 months.
Examples of sexualised behaviour range from jokes and cat-calling to indecent exposure and sexual activity without consent.
What has the Prince said about his role in improving women's treatment?
Prince William said that the Armed Forces must have a more inclusive culture in light of the claims that he unearthed during his fact-finding mission.
"I want to play my part in making the military feel like the welcoming, open and professional place I enjoyed and make it feel like that for everyone," he explained.
"At the moment I don't feel that we meet those standards, and as a former serving officer I really mind it when those who wear the uniform don't feel safe, respected or valued."
How has the military responded to the Prince's drive to help women's inclusivity?
Responding to the comments put forward by Prince William in Country Life magazine, Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, the Chief of the Defence Staff, said: "We recognise there is more to do to ensure every woman can serve, succeed and progress in an environment where they are respected and valued.
"We know the experience of women in our Armed Forces has not always been what it should be.
"Where behaviours and attitudes have fallen short of standards we expect, we must be honest about that and continue to drive change."
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