Harassment charges put Aussies on gender trial
Source: Agencies |
November 4, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
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NEARLY three-quarters of female cadets at Australia's military training academy have been sexually harassed, a government report found, after a series of scandals involving the mistreatment of women in the country's defense force.
Conditions have improved and the Australian Defence Force Academy is generally a safe place for female cadets, according to the Australian Human Rights Commission's report, released yesterday.
But the review found the academy culture was still far from ideal - with 74 percent of female cadets reporting they had experienced sexual or gender-based harassment.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, who led the inquiry, said: "If Australia is to have the finest naval and military force, it must have the finest officer education and training system - a system that values the contribution of both women and men."
Defense Minister Stephen Smith ordered the review in April, after a female cadet was secretly filmed having sex with another cadet. The video was then broadcast over the Internet to other male cadets at the academy. The woman said she had no idea she had been filmed.
Two months before that, a report identified a culture of predatory sexual behavior and intimidation aboard a navy ship, amid allegations a group of sailors on HMAS Success had run a contest to see who could have sex with the most female crewmates.
Smith asked Broderick to examine the culture at the academy and its impact on female cadets.
A second phase of the review, expected to be completed next year, will look at the treatment of women across the defense force. Separate reviews are examining the use of alcohol and social media, women's leadership pathways and other military issues.
Officials interviewed more than a quarter of cadets at the academy, all of whom were randomly selected. The cadets participated in small focus groups, filled out surveys and coming together for larger group discussions to share their experiences.
The most common form of harassment experienced by female cadets involved unwanted sexual jokes or stories, or inappropriate personal questions.
The review found that the high staff turnover of high-ranking officers, a complicated complaints process and inadequate supervision of cadets contributed to the problem.
The review made 31 recommendations, including the establishment of a 24-hour hotline for complaints, increased monitoring of cadets in residential areas, better education concerning the meaning of consent, and an increase in the price of alcohol in the mess.
Conditions have improved and the Australian Defence Force Academy is generally a safe place for female cadets, according to the Australian Human Rights Commission's report, released yesterday.
But the review found the academy culture was still far from ideal - with 74 percent of female cadets reporting they had experienced sexual or gender-based harassment.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, who led the inquiry, said: "If Australia is to have the finest naval and military force, it must have the finest officer education and training system - a system that values the contribution of both women and men."
Defense Minister Stephen Smith ordered the review in April, after a female cadet was secretly filmed having sex with another cadet. The video was then broadcast over the Internet to other male cadets at the academy. The woman said she had no idea she had been filmed.
Two months before that, a report identified a culture of predatory sexual behavior and intimidation aboard a navy ship, amid allegations a group of sailors on HMAS Success had run a contest to see who could have sex with the most female crewmates.
Smith asked Broderick to examine the culture at the academy and its impact on female cadets.
A second phase of the review, expected to be completed next year, will look at the treatment of women across the defense force. Separate reviews are examining the use of alcohol and social media, women's leadership pathways and other military issues.
Officials interviewed more than a quarter of cadets at the academy, all of whom were randomly selected. The cadets participated in small focus groups, filled out surveys and coming together for larger group discussions to share their experiences.
The most common form of harassment experienced by female cadets involved unwanted sexual jokes or stories, or inappropriate personal questions.
The review found that the high staff turnover of high-ranking officers, a complicated complaints process and inadequate supervision of cadets contributed to the problem.
The review made 31 recommendations, including the establishment of a 24-hour hotline for complaints, increased monitoring of cadets in residential areas, better education concerning the meaning of consent, and an increase in the price of alcohol in the mess.
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