Concerns have been raised over official Government guidance that puts ‘vulnerable’ female personnel at risk of ‘predatory men’
Trans military personnel born as men can live in female-only accommodation, an official government document states.
Concerns have been raised to The Telegraph that the policy risks diluting “safe spaces” for women.
The document, written as part of the JSP 889, the official guidance regarding the recruitment and management of transgender personnel in the Armed Forces, states that the “determining issue” for allocating Single Living Accommodation (SLA), where a single, or unaccompanied person lives, is the “affirmed gender” of the transgender person.
It states that “as soon as the transition process begins the person should be provided with accommodation that is appropriate to their affirmed gender”.
“From the date of transition, the person should also have use of the toilet and changing room facilities appropriate to their affirmed gender. Under no circumstances should a transgender person be expected, after transitioning, to use the facilities of their assigned gender,” it reads.
Sarah Atherton, the MP who oversaw the 2021 report which examined the levels of sexual assault and harassment in the military, said the policy felt like a “knee-jerk reaction”.
“They haven’t thought this through properly,” she said.
“Having done extensive work around women in the Armed Forces, I am fully aware of the extent of sexual abuse that has gone on and continues to go on. Women need to have secure accommodation where they feel safe.”
Defence sources stressed that the majority of SLA for serving personnel consisted of “lockable” rooms with en-suites and that it was “rare” for people of the opposite sex to share washing facilities. They added that in situations where this occurred, they were in the “minority” and in “old” housing blocks, with most accommodation now existing as “single rooms”.
However, serving personnel speaking on condition of anonymity said this was often not the case for the most junior ranks.
One woman serving with the RAF told The Telegraph there were female-only blocks for trainees in the Air Force and they would be concerned if someone affirmed as female was placed in the block.
“Trainees are considered our most vulnerable as they are the youngest, most inexperienced,” she said. “It’s fair to say that people who are in the early stages of their career are potentially being put at risk by not having female-only spaces protected.”
Commenting on the policy, which was published in August last year, Ms Atherton added that she had amassed evidence that found “women need safe spaces because of poor sexual behaviour and misuse of power in the military”.
“This policy is unclear and allows predatory men to misuse the policy to continue this abhorrent behaviour.”
One woman serving with the RAF recently returned from a secondment overseas where she shared washing facilities with men and women.
“Military bases at home are compromised if female spaces are not managed appropriately,” she said.
It is understood that any member of the Armed Forces who feels “uncomfortable” sharing with another person in the military “is able to raise their concerns” which will in turn be considered by the chain of command.
However, one serving member of personnel told The Telegraph that when she previously raised concerns with her chain of command regarding a transgender member of the forces who joined her squadron, her concerns were dismissed.
Her manager told her not to worry because “it’s not an issue as you can tell who are predators”.
