Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, a female teenage soldier, has died in what is believed to be a suicide after experiencing sexual harassment from one of her superiors. According to an Army investigation, Beck’s boss sent her over 1,000 WhatsApp messages and voicemails in October 2021, with this number increasing to over 3,500 in November, after he expressed a desire for a romantic relationship with her to which she did not reciprocate. The messages were described as controlling, with the boss constantly seeking reassurance that she was alone and expressing his inability to handle the thought of her being with someone else.
While the behaviour ended the week before Beck’s death, it had already taken a significant toll on her mental wellbeing. A report by the Army’s service inquiry detailing the incident also revealed the nature of the inappropriate behaviour, which continued over a two-month period, leading to “an intense period of unwelcome behaviour”. This report, however, does not name the individuals involved.
Beck had informed her boss that she could no longer handle the harassment, and her family saw the effect it had on her mental health. Her family’s lawyer Emma Norton, from the Centre for Military Justice, said the Army’s admission that the sexual harassment was a causal factor in Beck’s death was significant, as it is not often admitted.
Witnesses to the inquiry revealed inappropriate sexual behaviour by male soldiers towards their female colleagues at Larkhill, which was commonplace amongst a significant minority of soldiers within the Garrison. The report states, however, that measures have been introduced to combat this kind of behaviour as part of a new policy for the armed forces that began in November of 2022.
The family have expressed their sadness at the incident and are seeking justice for their daughter, who joined the Army when she was 16 and was proud to be a soldier. Her mother, Leighann McCready, has been vocal in urging the military to take stronger action against sexual harassment and assault within the ranks. An inquest date has yet to be set to officially determine how Gunner Beck died
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More