Royal Navy Submarine Service report uncovers misogyny, bullying and other unacceptable behaviours

Forces News – Navy

The head of the Royal Navy has apologised after an investigation found misogyny, bullying and other unacceptable behaviours had taken place in the Submarine Service.

The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, said he had accepted all 37 recommendations of the investigation in full.

Adm Sir Ben apologised to the whistleblower who raised the alarm about alleged sexual harassment and abuse on board the UK’s submarines.

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He ordered an internal inquiry into the claims made in a newspaper interview in October 2022 by Sophie Brook, a former naval officer, and other women about their treatment while serving in the elite Submarine Service.

Adm Sir Ben confirmed that misogyny, bullying and other unacceptable behaviours did happen and described it as intolerable.

He accepted all of the recommendations in the report including the formation of a new Head of Culture team and a review of submariner leadership training.

The First Sea Lord also commended the courage of Ms Brook in coming forward.

‘We must be better’

Adm Sir Ben said: “As the Head of the Royal Navy, today I also offer a public apology, both to Ms Brook and to any personnel – past or present – that have been subject to any form of unacceptable behaviour during their time in service.

“I am truly sorry.”

The Royal Navy chief alluded to how the service would go forward to improve the experiences of personnel in the Royal Navy while understanding “there is more to be done”.

He added: “Poor practices and behaviours in the past that may have been normalised in some quarters should never have been considered acceptable, and they have no place today.

“We must institute a culture that does not allow space for this behaviour to exist, and we must deal with perpetrators swiftly, without fear or favour, which I can confirm we have now done.

“Internal action has been taken against a number of individuals, up to and including discharge from the service.”

Adm Sir Ben concluded his statement by saying: “We must be better than this and do better than we have.”

The allegations

BFBS Forces News understands some of the allegations were reported to the MOD’s serious crime unit, but there was insufficient evidence to bring prosecutions. However, it is also understood that three people were discharged as a result of the investigation.

The investigation’s report has now been published, but much of it is heavily redacted.

The allegations included several reports of sexual misconduct, including the assault of a woman in her bed by a man of higher rank who tried to kiss her. She was then discouraged by the XO from reporting it.

Another of the allegations made was that a “crush depth rape list” is common across the service in which women and men are marked in the order they would be raped in a catastrophic event.

The specific allegation made to the investigation, their consideration of the evidence and their conclusion on the balance of probabilities were all redacted.

But the report does say the allegation led to several recommendations, one of them being administrative action as a result of the findings.

Another allegation was that bras were stolen from the laundry, leading to a recommendation that personnel be given the resources to wash their own underwear.