A 42-year-old former Royal Navy sailor is suing the UK Ministry of Defence after she was allegedly raped by a soldier. The Daily Mail reports that her lawsuit has gone to the High Court with potential for a trial after she appealed an earlier decision that sided with the ministry.
The alleged victim’s lawyers hold the woman’s former employer, the MoD, potentially liable, arguing that it has a “close connection” with the attacker. However, according to her solicitor, the ministry has contested this view, although the private was “subject to military rules and discipline on the base”.
The accuser claims that in 2012, an Army private assaulted her at a military barracks in Gibraltar, where she was based. The woman insists that he spiked her drink before raping her. She did not report the alleged attack until she gave birth to a baby girl. According to the woman, she doubted anybody would believe that she had been raped.
“I just wanted to move on and keep what happened to myself, but then the attack started affecting me psychologically and I went to see the doctor. She asked me who the father was and it all came flooding out that I had been raped”, the former sailor told the Daily Mail.
She claims that she brought the incident to the attention of her superiors in the Navy, but they treated it like she was trying to dodge her duties.
“I thought that they would help me, but they made me feel like a criminal”, said the woman, who has since left the armed forces and reportedly been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress.
The accused soldier insists that their sex was consensual. No charges were brought against him and the allegations were not referred to the police by the military. At the same time, no action followed, as the alleged assault happened overseas, according to prosecutors.
“The fact is that this man is still in the armed forces whereas I had to leave because of what he did to me. I felt suicidal and helpless, but I have managed to get through it for my little girl”, the accuser said.
