Three former soldiers assert they were driven out of the military by a savage campaign of bullying and sexist behaviour directed by male colleagues.
Now suing the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for thousands of pounds in compensation, the three ladies assert that terrible psychological anguish and distress resulted from nasty abuse and sexism.
Summer Wright, Julia Hourihane, and Shannon Holmes assert that some Army stations have a poisonous atmosphere that seems to support sexist behaviour.
Their allegations follow another former soldier who had been heavily involved in an Army recruitment campaign getting an apology following years of racial and sexist harassment.
Earlier this month, 33-year-old former Cpl Kerry-Ann Knight received a “substantial financial settlement” from the MoD after outlining how colleagues directed comments about slavery towards her, including comparisons to “lynching” or “tarring and feathering.”
In this most recent instance, Ms Wright, who spent six years in the Army, claimed she was subjected to demeaning and crude comments to her private areas while serving 132 Battery of the 39th Regiment Royal Artillery at Albermarle Barracks, close to Newcastle. She stated she was regularly called the C-word.
Legal records filed with the High Court by Ms Wright’s solicitors at Simpson Millar indicate: “There was a culture of sexism at Albermarle Barracks during the period [Ms Wright] served there. Her miserable working environment caused her tension, worry, dread and humiliation, as well as made it hard for her to advance her military career.
Ms Wright also charges one boss in particular of treating her in a sexist and disrespectful manner.
From Coulsnaughton, Scotland, the 28-year-old says he said women should only do kitchen-based positions, had no place in the Army, and should be creating weapons instead of firing them.
She says he urged others to participate in a slow hand clap when she entered a room and, on one occasion, denied her access to sanitary protection when her period began, thereby leaving her to perform an activity ‘with tissues shoved into her pants’.
On her first day at Albemarle Barracks, Ms Hourihane says three male soldiers fired a fire extinguisher at her, damaging property and resulting in fines.
The High Court will hear that Ms Wright and fellow gunner Ms Holmes discovered two sergeants looking over their equipment in 2014.
The men said they failed to unpack their baggage and had “f dirty knickers.”
Ms Wright says she was reported for misbehaviour and is now suing for damages from attacks, bullying, and harassment.
She says she was regularly propositioned by male troops and heard remarks like “Who are you going to shag this weekend?” and “Will you shag me?” and names two individuals she charges with displaying their penises.
Responding to worries voiced by her friends, Ms Wright posted multiple posts on Facebook in October 2014 that seemed to allude to the actions of some of her male colleagues, including “silly wee boys,” “go f* yourself,” and “just a few wee a*holes.”
According to Ms Wright, the bullying and harassment stopped only after she moved to 35 Battery, far from the manager “and his clique”.
Her harassment, which she alleges left her progressively unhappy at work, she reported to top officials.
She was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in April 2016, given a medical release, and finally departed the Army in December of that year.
She told the Army board she had been subjected to false charges and intimidated by her chain of command.
Ms Wright intends to align her claims with those already registered against the MoD by Ms Holmes and Ms Hourihane.
She claims that although she protested to her superiors, the MoD neglected to investigate the mistreatment and carelessly neglected to defend her.
She reportedly suffered significant psychological trauma as well, cleaning till her hands were red and sore and slashing her wrists in a suicide attempt.
Her legal team claims her symptoms include self-harm, suicidal ideation, panic attacks, avoidance of military settings, nightmares and obsessive cleaning.
After leaving the Army, Ms Wright, who claims she battled to adjust to the birth of her first child in 2018, requests the court to let her claim forward, notwithstanding limited time.
She informed the court in legal papers that she did not want to be considered as “a grass” and was afraid she would not be believed. Hence, she did not wish to escalate her grievances into formal complaints during service.
She didn’t feel confident enough to follow suit until she found out Ms Holmes was suing the MoD.
Saying it has been entered too late and that it cannot investigate the charges “due to passage,” the MoD is challenging her claim.
The MoD says Ms Wright was undisciplined and belligerent, had a drinking problem, was “a difficult soldier to manage,” “misbehaved and in breach of the army’s values and standards of behaviour,” and annoyed her fellow gunners.
The MoD also questions Ms Hourihane’s and Ms Holmes’ assertions.
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