Britain's armed forces are rolling out mandatory training on consent, misogyny and "incel culture" for all military personnel after new research found that two-thirds of women in uniform faced sexualised behaviour in one year.
The Ministry of Defence has launched its first-ever prevention programme to tackle what officials are calling "wholly unacceptable" conduct across the Royal Navy, Army and RAF.
The new initiative will teach troops about "harmful online influences" while working to "enforce the highest behavioural standards" throughout the services.
The new training programme kicks off at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire and Plymouth Naval Base, with a focus on reaching young recruits at facilities like Army Foundation College Harrogate and HMS Raleigh.
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It's designed to help personnel understand consent, aggressive misogyny and the emergence of "incel" communities on social media that have been radicalising young men.
Incels - or "involuntary celibate" men and boys - believe they'll never have relationships with women because of their appearance and social expectations.
The programme will expand to British forces stationed in Cyprus and RAF Halton in 2026 before being rolled out more widely.
Training sessions will include interactive group discussions and may even be tailored around sport to better engage with personnel.
Britain's armed forces are rolling out mandatory training on consent, misogyny and 'incel culture' for all military personnel
|PA
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The move comes as the government published its first comprehensive survey examining sexual harassment across all three branches of the military.
Almost a third of female service members reported being touched in ways that made them uncomfortable over the past 12 months, compared to just five per cent of men.
Additionally, nearly one in 10 women said they'd been subjected to sexual activity without their consent.
Training sessions will include interactive group discussions and may even be tailored around sport to better engage with personnel
|PA
Of those who faced sexualised behaviour, 29 per cent of women and 11 per cent of men said it made them think about leaving the military altogether.
Louise Sandher-Jones, the minister for veterans and people, called the situation "wholly unacceptable" and said: "All those who choose to serve our country must be able to do so with dignity and respect."
In September, it emerged that the Army had tried to suppress a report that revealed female soldiers were locking themselves in their rooms at night to avoid potential sexual assault from drunk male colleagues.
Professor Anthony King's 2022 cultural audit found an "almost ubiquitous" practice of door-knocking - men banging on women's doors in barracks demanding sex.
His report also documented instances of unsolicited explicit photos, sexist name-calling, solicitation by senior officers and cases of sexual assault.
Earlier this year, General Sir Roly Walker, the head of the Army, said he was "ashamed" of how women were being treated in his service.
After, it emerged that more than 100 soldiers had been thrown out for bad behaviour in less than two years.
The general said it angered him that young people who'd volunteered to join the Army were forced "to fight their own people before they get in front of the enemy".
Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, Chief of the Defence Staff, acknowledged that the survey results show "just how much more I, and leaders at every level, need to do to stamp out behaviour which has no place in the UK Armed Forces".
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