New recruits to the Armed Forces will be asked for their definition of consent

New recruits to the Armed Forces are going to be asked what their definition of consent is as part of the MOD's plans to prevent unacceptable behaviour and sexual violence in the military. 

Two civilian taskforce teams made up of specialists will initially be sent to speak to recruits and younger members of the Armed Forces based at Catterick Garrison and HM Naval Base Devonport to identify and address the cultural and behavioural drivers of sexual violence.

The preventing sexual violence taskforce, which is made up of eight people, is being supported by a research team outside of defence, which includes experts in ethnographic research and systems design specialists. 

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The MOD said the teams will be gathering data and researching in a variety of ways, including asking recruits to explain what consent is. 

Veterans and People Minister Louise Sandher-Jones explained what questions the taskforce will ask recruits. 

"So, what they'll be doing is talking through a whole range of different things. So, for example, consent. They can be working through what consent means to different people and being able to set the baseline... this is what consent is, and so this is the kind of behaviour that we deem unacceptable," Mrs Sandher-Jones said. 

"This is what should be happening. This is what should not be happening. It's also expectations around language, things like that. So, this is how we talk about people. This is how we talk to people in ways that doesn't cause harm."

Understanding beliefs 

"This is about actually really understanding what is going on, what kind of beliefs, what kind of behaviours people are arriving with and the kind of beliefs and behaviours that we want people to demonstrate in the Armed Forces," the North East Derbyshire MP said. 

"We need to have better data so we can have better targeted interventions. So that we're just a lot smarter about this and crucially, a lot more effective."

Personnel already receive training on what is and is not acceptable; however, the minister said the task forces will expand on what is already happening. 

"So, what's different here is we've never before had a team which is solely focused on gathering the data, analysing that data, and really researching what can make a difference," Mrs Sander-Jones went on to say.  

"Then identifying a range of tools, be that educational, be that focused on culture, and then being able to run through those initiatives, run through those tools and actually be able to analyse in real time from a baseline what impact, what effect these are having. 

"What this is doing is just massively upscaling. What we're able to do in improving the culture in our Armed Forces."

The taskforce is initially set for a 12-month period, with a view to expanding to other bases, such as RAF Halton and the UK's sovereign bases in Cyprus, if it is successful. 

Getting culture right from the beginning

She said they will be "looking at wider research that is in this area and then say, ok, so what if we had an education intervention at this stage in a recruit's training that focused on this aspect of behaviour and actually really drill down what makes a difference, so that when we are launching an intervention, what we're doing is actually making a difference rather than just going through the motions."

They are specifically targeting younger age groups. "So, what we have to make sure we do is we get the culture right from the very, very beginning," Mrs Sandher-Jones told BFBS Forces News. 

"So that's why we're focusing on areas like Catterick, for example, where we have a lot of recruit training, so that we can be data-led and focus on what we can do to make sure we've got the right culture for our recruits from day one.”

Extra staff for the victim witness care unit

The MOD said it is part of new plans to prevent unacceptable behaviour and sexual violence in the military, which will see more than half a million pounds spent in total. 

It will also include an expansion of the Victim Witness Care Unit to support around 100 additional cases each year.

The funding will allow for five new positions within the unit, which will provide support to those who have been the victims and witnesses of serious crime.

The minister said: "I know that the victims are getting the support that they're asking for. As word has spread about how this unit can support you, of course we are starting to see more interest in using its services.

"I would say this is a unit that if you've been a victim of sexual violence, even if you haven't reported it, you know, to the chain of command or to the police, this is a unit you can still reach out to for support, for advice."

Speaking about people reaching out for support, Mrs Sandher-Jones said: "I really would urge anybody watching this who believes they've been subjected to something unacceptable and needs support, please, please do reach out, because we know that as this unit has started to gain the confidence of people serving on our British Armed Forces, we just want to make sure that they can keep up with the demand as well as they have been doing already."