The Australian military was hit by another scandal yesterday after a young army recruit allegedly filmed himself having sex with a female cadet and broadcast it via Skype to his friends.
Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith said, if proven, he could not imagine a greater “betrayal of trust,” after the 18-year-old woman at the elite Australian Defense Force Academy went public with her claims.
She said she only became aware of the incident when she was contacted by defense department investigators who were alerted by another cadet.
The woman, known only as Kate, alleges she had consensual sex, but, unknown to her, her partner had set up Web cams in the room with six of his friends watching the feed nearby.
Still photos were also taken and had circulated at the academy, Australia’s premier college for military recruits.
“It was like my whole world came crashing down around me,” she said. “They had to read the statements that the boys had to make and I actually threw up. I had to be asked to be excused from the interview because it made me physically ill.”
The case is being examined by police and defense officials have said that anyone found to have committed a crime faces termination of their military career.
While praising the bravery of Australian Defense Force -members, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the country’s first female leader, said such actions were “disgusting.”
“Any conduct that treats a woman in a way that her dignity is pushed aside, that engages in misusing trust, breaching trust, going out of the way to embarrass her dignity and sense of self-worth, is disgusting conduct,” she said. “We would all repudiate it. It’s not what we would want to see in this country.”
Australia’s military has gained an unwanted reputation for having a drinking culture and for the targeting of women, underscored in a recent 400 page report about incidents on the supply ship HMAS Success in 2009.
The report examined allegations of a “predatory culture” and drunken misconduct among sailors, including the keeping of a list known as “The Ledger” which put dollar values on sexual conquests with female colleagues.
Smith said that any conduct in the military that tarnished Australia’s reputation would not be tolerated and the woman was right to go public with her allegations.
“I believe a public airing of this issue in all of the circumstances was appropriate,” he said. “I don’t believe the young woman concerned should be viewed poorly or dimly as a result of bringing this matter to public attention.”
Defense force personnel need to be able to trust each other, Smith added.
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