- General Sir Roly Walker, head of the British Army, warned MPs that the "manosphere" and "deepening rifts" among young people, accelerated by social media, are making it harder to combat misogyny and sexual harassment in the military.
- He stated that these societal trends make it more challenging to ensure the safety of women serving in the armed forces, following an inquest that found the Army failed to act after Gunner Jaysley Beck's sexual assault before her death by suicide.
- Labour MP Emma Lewell highlighted concerning statistics, including 122 investigations into sexual offences against under-18s at the Army Foundation College between 2021 and 2024, with 80 being sexual assaults.
- Sir Roly acknowledged that the figures for sexual harassment have not fallen, attributing this to the challenges young recruits face transitioning from civilian life, including exposure to sexualisation, drugs, and violence.
- Separately, the head of the British Navy, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, warned that his force is vulnerable to "toxic" leadership due to traditional assessment methods focusing on output rather than the means of achievement, and mentioned a trial for a new assessment model.
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