Royal Navy Addresses Misconduct and Harassment in the Submarine Service

 

The Royal Navy's top officer has issued an unreserved apology to victims of "unacceptable behavior" in the submarine service, two years after a whistleblower alleged a serious pattern of misogyny, bullying and sexual harassment in the force. 

In 2022, former lieutenant Sophie Brook disclosed dozens of allegations from multiple female sailors in the submarine service, ranging from petty hazing to unwanted sexual contact and "at least one" instance of rape. The Royal Navy launched an investigation and the formal report was released Friday. While all of the report's findings on specific incidents were redacted, the investigators acknowledged a pattern of unsavory practices on board some of the service's boats, enabled by "inherently poor leadership and/or lack of reporting." 

So far, the service has ejected three servicemembers and disciplined one more in connection with Brooks' allegations. Overall, the Royal Navy has fired 18 people, demoted four and disciplined six for sexual misconduct in the past two years, according to the Guardian.  

First Sea Lord Sir Ben Key acknowledged the report's findings in a statement Friday, and he called the circumstances of Brooks' treatment "intolerable." 

"We must institute a culture that does not allow space for this behavior to exist, and we must deal with perpetrators swiftly, without fear or favor, which I can confirm we have now done," he said. "We must be better than this and do better than we have."

Admiral Key said that he accepted the report's recommendations and would be holding the Submarine Service's leadership accountable for implementing them. Key has also created a new service-wide "Head of Culture" team, reporting directly to the Navy Board. "This team is instituting and assuring better command cultures and organizational behaviors across the Royal Navy," he said.