MoD warns service personnel consent is always required in anti-rape campaign
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has warned service personnel that consent is always required before sex in a hard-hitting campaign appearing at army barracks and training centres across the country.
Photographs depicting men and women who have been raped by soldiers feature in the posters, developed in consultation with Stonewall and Rape Crisis, which contain the line: 'Don't kid yourself! Without consent it's rape.'
General Sir Nick Carter, head of the army, instigated the campaign amid concern over sexual offending in the military. It follows a report from the MoD, released on 20 July, that revealed almost half of service personnel believe sexual harassment is a problem in the Army with four out of 10 female soldiers revealing they had been subjected to comments of a sexual nature in the past year.
In the past five years there has been more than 400 cases of rape or sexual assault in the military according to MoD data. However, these figures do not include cases investigated by the civilian police force.
"The Consent Campaign, which has been endorsed by Rape Crisis and Stonewall, is the latest in a number of internal initiatives that the Army has launched to ensure all of its employees act lawfully and treat each other in a way that is consistent with our values and standards," said an Army spokesperson in an official statement.
Katie Russell, spokeswoman for Rape Crisis England and Wales, commented: "The imagery and messaging are bold, hard-hitting and, most importantly, really clear about consent.
"We are particularly pleased that the campaign is clearly addressed towards perpetrators and potential perpetrators of sexual offences, as opposed to victims and potential victims, as this places the responsibility for these crimes unambiguously where it belongs."
The new initiative will feature in the August issue of the British Army's Soldier magazine.