Streeting 'sickened' by sex abuse claims at Army college
Summary
Reports have emerged of rape and sexual abuse of young female recruits at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, UK. Several women described a culture of sexual violence, prompting the Defence Secretary to review the issues and the Army to encourage victims to report abuse.Key Facts
- Four women told the BBC they were sexually assaulted and harassed at the Army Foundation College (AFC) in Harrogate.
- The AFC trains the UK Army's recruits under age 19, including all 16-year-old recruits.
- North Yorkshire Police reported 16 sexual offence complaints linked to the college in one year, including assault and voyeurism.
- The Ministry of Defence recorded 176 complaints of inappropriate sexual behaviour at AFC from January 2018 to June 2025.
- One woman described being raped by several fellow recruits while at the college.
- Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said he would closely examine what went wrong at AFC and look at culture change across the armed forces.
- The Army said criminal and unacceptable behaviour has no place in its ranks and urged people to come forward.
- Some politicians called for an independent inquiry to restore confidence in the college.
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