Women in Submarine Service suffered misogyny and bullying, Royal Navy finds

Former member of the Royal Navy, Sophie Brook said she hoped the report would be the starting point for change

Women in the Submarine Service have suffered misogyny, bullying and other unacceptable behaviours, a Royal Navy investigation has found.

This behaviour was seen "amongst all ranks" but was "not pervasive" across the service, the report said, after a two-year-long investigation.

Whistleblower Sophie Brook, who was a lieutenant, made claims about her treatment while serving with the Royal Navy, first prompting the review in 2022.

Responding to the report's findings, she told the BBC this was a "critical moment, not just for me, but for every woman and man who has suffered in silence."

Navy chief, the First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key, said he was "truly sorry" to Ms Brook and any personnel past and present who had faced unacceptable behaviour.

The allegations investigated in the report were from a number of women not just Ms Brook and covered a period between 2014 and 2020.

She had alleged that a culture of sexual assault, sexual harassment and misogyny was widespread within the Submarine Service.

On Friday Ms Brook told the BBC she hoped the report was not just a "token gesture".

"The report highlights the systemic failures I, and many others, experienced first hand—failures that left victims isolated, silenced, and often retaliated against for daring to speak up."

She said she had come forward to "shine a light on a culture that, for too long, has been permitted to thrive within some of the most elite branches of our armed forces."

Ms Brook continued: "No-one should have to endure the harassment, abuse, and mental toll that I and countless others have faced.

"The Royal Navy must take immediate action to ensure that no-one else is subjected to the same systemic misogyny and discrimination that has long plagued the Submarine Service."

However she added that "this fight is far from over" to ensure in future submariners worked where there was "respect, dignity, and equality."

Adm Sir Ben said he had met Ms Brook and "apologised to her personally and unreservedly" as he praised her courage.

First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sir Ben Key

Parts of the published report are heavily redacted, meaning some details have been removed.

Allegations made within the report about how service personnel were treated include:

• A married colleague exposed himself on a female's bed. The XO - or second in command - allegedly told her to "be quiet" when she "shouted about it"

• A second in command regularly asked for sexual favours from a female member of staff and left "naked pictures of models" for her

• Reports that women were "regularly screamed at", and "sniffing" was rife, where men would "follow the few women around"

• Some captains have a "Black Ops Hard Drive" which was allegedly code for their porn collection

• Senior officers "openly" making "sexual gestures" to women in their command

• Reports of bras being stolen from the laundry while "engineers would openly sniff women's used underwear"

• When a female colleague asked to be excused for a medical appointment, one officer allegedly said if it was to attend a smear test they could "all get together" and perform a "cervical exam" on the wardroom table

There were also allegations that victims were discouraged from filing complaints of abuse, or they would face being branded "dangerous girls" or "troublemakers".

Overall, the Navy said it had conducted 28 separate investigations leading to the discharge of 21 individuals, with four being reduced in rank and six facing disciplinary or administrative action.

Of the total discharged three were in relation to Ms Brook's complaints.

The investigation has not led to any charges of sexual assault, but a number of individuals have been discharged from the Navy following the investigation.

Some of the allegations were reported to the MoD’s serious crime unit but the Navy said there was insufficient evidence to bring prosecutions.

In a statement released on Friday, Sir Ben said the recommendations from the investigation had been accepted in full, including the establishment of a new head of culture, alongside changes to training in the Submarine Service.

The admiral said that a number of measures were being taken to address what he has called “appalling behaviours” against women – who make up just over 10% of the service.

File photo of a Royal Navy submarine

In the statement, Sir Ben continued: "Poor practices and behaviours in the past that may have been normalized 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.”

He added that the service "must be better" and "do better than we have".

The investigation followed complaints of bullying and sexual harassment against women.

One woman, who spent several months at sea on board Royal Navy warships, told the BBC about an incident in 2019 when an officer stuck his hand up her skirt while they were drinking in the Officer's Mess.

When she protested and put a stop to things by announcing she was returning to her cabin, the officer followed her to her room and "hammered on my door, condom in hand", she said.

Additional reporting by Zahra Fatima.