Four former teenage recruits have told the BBC they were raped, sexually abused or repeatedly harassed while training at the Army Foundation College (AFC) in Harrogate. Ministry of Defence figures record 176 complaints of inappropriate sexual behaviour at the college from January 2018 to June 2025, and North Yorkshire Police logged 16 related reports in the year to June. MPs and campaigners are demanding an urgent independent inquiry led by safeguarding experts; the Army says reforms and specialist victim support have been introduced.
Calls Mount For Independent Inquiry After Rape and Abuse Allegations At Army Teen College
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Calls are intensifying for an independent inquiry into the Army Foundation College (AFC) in Harrogate after several former teenage recruits told the BBC they were raped, sexually abused and repeatedly harassed while training at the establishment.
Allegations and first-hand accounts
Four women, who attended AFC when they were 17, told the BBC they experienced sexual assault and persistent harassment. One former recruit, identified in reports as "Tilly," said she was raped by multiple fellow soldiers. Other accounts describe near-daily sexual harassment, broken door locks that left recruits vulnerable, and misogynistic language from some instructors.
AFC is the largest military training establishment for under-18s in the UK [BBC]
Numbers and official records
Ministry of Defence data show 176 complaints of inappropriate sexual behaviour at AFC between January 2018 and June 2025. North Yorkshire Police told the BBC it had received 16 reports of sexual offences linked to the college in the year to June, including allegations of exposure, voyeurism and sexual assault; the police response did not detail how many, if any, led to prosecutions.
Calls for an independent inquiry
Former MP Sarah Atherton, who led a 2021 review into women’s experiences in the armed forces, and MP Emma Lewell (a member of the Defence Committee) have urged an urgent independent investigation led by experts in safeguarding. Atherton said an independent inquiry would help establish facts, restore public confidence and ensure appropriate accountability. Lewell emphasised the need for investigators to be able to speak directly with current and former child recruits.
"He stood against the door so I couldn't get out," Monica tells Sima Kotecha [BBC]
Context and earlier reviews
A 2021 government review chaired by Atherton gathered evidence from more than 4,200 women in the armed forces and documented cases including rape, sexual exploitation of under-18s and incidents where women were drugged before being assaulted. The review concluded many women were being denied justice by a complaints process that was described as "woefully inadequate." Recent MoD research found 67% of women in the armed forces had experienced at least one sexualised behaviour in the previous 12 months, compared with 34% of men.
Army response and safeguards
The Army said "unacceptable and criminal behaviour has absolutely no place in our Armed Forces" and urged victims and witnesses to come forward. It listed reforms intended to support victims, including specialist support via the Defence Serious Crime Command that operates outside the Army chain of command. The Army also noted a January 2026 visit by the Children’s Commissioner and safeguarding authorities that recognised "the culture of care and the confidence junior soldiers have in raising concerns," and pointed to the college's discipline system being rated "outstanding" by Ofsted.
Gunner Jaysley Beck, who was not at AFC, was found dead five months after a 43-year-old officer pinned her down and tried to kiss her [PA Media]
High-profile cases and concerns about command response
Campaigners point to recent high-profile incidents as evidence of systemic issues. An ex-army sergeant major was jailed for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old soldier who later took her own life. In another case, Warrant Officer Michael Webber, 43, was found to have pinned down Gunner Jaysley Beck and attempted to kiss her in July 2021; she was found dead five months later, and an inquest concluded the assault and the Army's failure to act "more than minimally" contributed to her death. Jaysley’s mother has said her daughter was disbelieved and branded a troublemaker after reporting the incident.
What campaigners want
Survivors, campaigners and some MPs are calling for:
An independent, expert-led inquiry with safeguarding specialists able to take statements from current and former child recruits;
Transparent publication of findings and clear accountability where failures are identified;
Improvements to reporting and protection systems that operate effectively outside the chain of command.
If you have information relevant to this story, the BBC reporter named in earlier coverage can be contacted (details available in original BBC reports).
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