'Felt Like Piece Of Meat': Sex Abuse Allegations Rock UK's Top Army Training College For Teenagers

Published 6 August 2026 · india

News world 'Felt Like Piece Of Meat': Sex Abuse Allegations Rock UK's Top Army Training College For Teenagers 'Felt Like Piece Of Meat': Sex Abuse

News world 'Felt Like Piece Of Meat': Sex Abuse Allegations Rock UK's Top Army Training College For Teenagers 'Felt Like Piece Of Meat': Sex Abuse Allegations Rock UK's Top Army Training College For Teenagers Published By, Last Updated: August 06, 2026, 17:52 IST Four former recruits allege sexual assault and harassment at a UK Army college, raising concerns over safety and culture. Sex Abuse Claims Rock UK's Biggest Army Training College For Teen Recruits (Photo: BBC) Four young women have alleged that they were sexually assaulted and harassed while attending the Army Foundation College (AFC) in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, with one claiming she was raped by several fellow junior soldiers when she was 17. According to a BBC report, all four women attended the college over the past five years and say the incidents took place when they were minors. Speaking publicly for the first time, they have alleged that the institution has a culture of misogyny and sexual violence. The Army described the allegations as “extremely distressing and serious". Complaints and police reports The BBC reported that North Yorkshire Police received 16 reports of sexual offences linked to the college in the year up to June, according to information obtained through a Freedom of Information request. The reported offences included allegations of exposure, voyeurism and sexual assault. No details were provided on whether any of the cases resulted in prosecutions.

Ministry of Defence (MoD) data showed that 176 complaints of inappropriate sexual behaviour were recorded at the college between January 2018 and June 2025. Of these, 32 allegations were against permanent staff and 144 against junior soldiers. AFC is the Army’s largest training establishment for recruits under the age of 19. It currently has 889 junior soldiers, including 70 female recruits. “I felt like a piece of meat" One of the women, identified as Tilly, said she joined the Army with hopes of becoming a soldier but left shortly after the alleged attack. She alleged that several fellow junior soldiers assaulted and raped her after inviting her into a room. According to her account, the incident lasted for hours. “I felt like a piece of meat," she told the BBC. Tilly said she left the Army two weeks later. The BBC reported that she informed police about the alleged rape, but no charges were brought. It said the Crown Prosecution Service later described the police investigation as “entirely inadequate". Tilly later reached a financial settlement with North Yorkshire Police, with no admission of liability by the force. Other women recount experiences A second woman, Monica, alleged that a fellow soldier trapped her inside a room and sexually assaulted her. “He stood against the door so I couldn’t get out," she said, adding that she eventually managed to push him away.