The Minister for Defence has launched a new set of procedures aimed at tackling sexual harassment and bullying in the Defence Forces.
Speaking at the launch of a new document on Interpersonal Relationships in the Defence Forces, Mr Michael Smith said the new regulations aimed to "confront unacceptable practices and behaviour and dispel any perceptions that such practices and behaviour will be tolerated."
"This is not a problem which can be solved by higher authority acting alone, it can only be solved with full and active support at all levels," he cautioned.
The new procedures have been issued following the Department of Defence's review of the Doyle Report, which was issued in March 2002. The report claimed that 30 per cent of women soldiers, accounting for four per cent of the Defence Forces, had experienced sexual harassment.
One woman soldier anonymously informed the inquiry team that she was raped but was too afraid to report the incident, while two other women respondents and one man said that they had been the subject of attempted rape.
Cases of bullying and intimidation of members of the Force were also reported, with victims of harassment and bullying declaring that they felt they could not achieve any remedy through the existing internal complaints system.
The new code sets out policy and procedures regarding interpersonal relationships in the Defence Forces. The instructions are being implemented in conjunction with the recently-launched Independent Confidential Helpline and Counselling Service, aimed at providing counselling to members of the Defence Forces.