Ministry of Defence policies to tackle unacceptable behaviour

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is taking decisive steps to keeptackle ourunacceptable peoplebehaviour and theensure publica safe, byrespectful introducingenvironment newfor policiesall andwho measuresserve tothe tackle unacceptable behaviour.nation.

Unacceptable behaviour has no place in Defence and will not be tolerated. These behaviours do not representreflect the high values and standards upheld by the vast majority ofDefence talented,personnel, bravewhether andin hardworkingthe personnelBritish whoArmy, Royal serveNavy, Royal acrossAir ourForce, or services,Civil andService.

Defence whois continuetaking toaction

Defence’s upholdcommitment is underpinned by the highRaising valuesour andStandards standardsProgramme that(RoS), iswhich expectedwas ofestablished themto (Britishprevent Army,and Royaltackle Navy,unacceptable Royalbehaviour Airand Force,cultural Civilissues Servicethat orundermine the basicvalues principlesand forstandards workingacross in Defence).Defence.

Unacceptable

Since behaviour2021, measuresDefence inhas Defence

Aintroduced a series of measures to provide allclear Defenceand robust guidance to civilian and military personnel withon robustpreventing and cleareraddressing directionincidents.

Prevention

Defence is committed to preventpreventing unacceptable behaviour at the earliest opportunity through training, education, and addressrobust incidents.policies. TheyThese outlinemeasures whataim to set clear expectations, prevent incidents, and build confidence that unacceptable behaviour is,will howbe toaddressed respondeffectively.

• Addressing toViolence Against Women and reportGirls it,(VAWG): andA whereprogramme personnelis canunderway findto moredeliver advicetargeted andactions guidanceto throughtackle internalVAWG communicationin channels.

  Recently-publishedDefence, measureswith include:

  lessons being used to inform wider action.
  1. Zero Tolerance policies to Unacceptable Sexual Behaviour: A Three Victim/SurvivorZero focussedTolerance approachpolicies Policy.
  2. Zerohave Tolerancebeen introduced to Unacceptableensure these behaviours are rooted out: a Victim/Survivor Focused Approach Policy, a policy on Sexual Offences and Sexual relationshipsRelationships betweenBetween Instructors and Trainees.
  3. ZeroTrainees, Toleranceand tothe Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) Policy (JSP 769).
  4. Tackling Training Sexualand OffendingEducation: inAll Defence Strategy.

  Thesepersonnel measuresare makerequired itto clearcomplete that supporting victims/survivors is a Defencevariety priority.of Theytraining alsopackages provideon personnelstandards withof greaterbehaviour confidenceand how to raiseidentify complaints, and believeaddress actionunacceptable willconduct.

• Domestic beAbuse takenAction withoutPlan: fearOutlines ofDefence’s itcommitment impactingto themaddressing ordomestic theirabuse, careersupporting foraffected doingpersonnel, so.

  Everyand allegationensuring willthat receiveappropriate promptaction andis efficienttaken investigation,against withperpetrators.

Reporting

Everyone appropriate,working consistent,in andDefence robustis consequencesencouraged forto peoplecall whoseout or report behaviour that falls belowshort theof Defence’s high standards ofand conduct​values.

To thesupport Ministrypersonnel ofreporting, Defence demands.has Thisestablished canindependent includemechanisms administrative,to disciplinary,ensure criminalcomplaints action,and orserious terminationcriminal ofoffences employmentare and/orhandled discharge from the Armed Forces.appropriately.

• The measuresDefence areSerious partCrime ofCommand an(DSCC): extensiveInvestigates programmeallegations of workserious beingcriminal deliveredwrongdoing across Defencethe toArmed improveForces, theand day-to-dayis experienceoutside ofthe Defence’ssingle workforce,Service andchain theof peopleCommand.
• Victim whoWitness weCare protectUnit and(VWCU): supportThe inVWCU, thepart UKof andthe abroad.

  JSPsDSCC, thatprovides helpcomprehensive tacklecare and preventsupport unacceptableto behaviour

  Jointvictims Serviceand Publicationwitnesses (JSP)of documentsserious arecrimes. producedIt byensures thethat MODvictims and some are publiclyaware available.of Defencetheir personneloptions canin findline awith fullthe listCode of JSPsPractice onfor internalVictims systemsof by searching ‘JSPs’.

  Crime.
  • JSPTri-Service 763:Complaints TheTeam: MODInvestigates Behavioursthe andmost Informalnon-criminal Complaintsserious Resolutioncomplaints, Policysuch -as abullying, guidediscrimination for all MOD service and civilianharassment, personneloutside on behaviours and the informalsingle complaintsService resolutionchain process.of command.
  • JSPService 831:Complaints RedressApp ofand individualCivilian grievances:My serviceComplaints complaintsApp: -Faster, aeasier guideand simpler ways for MODService servicePersonnel to raise Service Complaints and civilianfor personnelcivilians onto theraise applicationunacceptable ofbehaviours policycomplaints foror servicemore complaints.general grievances.
  • ArmedConfidential Forcesreporting Servicechannels Complaintsare processavailable -24/7 informationfor aboutmilitary howand tocivilian makepersonnel:
    • Bullying, aHarassment, UKand ArmedDiscrimination ForcesHelpline: Service0800 Complaint.
    • Zero014 Tolerance2381 to(UK) Unacceptableor Sexual+44 Behaviour:330 A008 Victim/Survivor5942 focused(Overseas).
    • Confidential approachHotline policyfor -Whistleblowing: applies0800 to161 all3665 armed(UK) forcesor personnel.
    • Zero+44 Tolerance1371 to854 Unacceptable881 Sexual(Overseas) Offences/ andconfidential-hotline@mod.gov.uk.

  If Sexualcriminal relationshipsbehaviour betweenhas Instructorsoccurred, andthis Traineesshould -be appliesbrought to allthe armedattention forcesof personnel.

either:
• JSPThe 769:Service ZeroPolice Toleranceon to02392 Sexual285 Exploitation170/80 andor Abuseat (SEA) Policy.opsdesk@rmp.mod.uk
• MOD -police applieson all0300 MOD1232 service101 andor civilianat personnel.MDP-ForceControl@mod.gov.uk
• TacklingOr SexualLocal OffendingCivilian inpolice Defenceon Strategy999 -or applies111.

In addition to allthe armedindependent forcesmechanisms personnel.

• Commandingabove, officersa guidefull (manuallist of serviceways law:to JSPinformally 830and volumeformally 1)respond -and areport guideinstances tocan thebe legislationfound andby referencesearching material‘Reporting onUnacceptable theBehaviour’ Armedin ForcesDefence Actinternal 2006.
• communication channels.

  Enforcement

  The MilitaryJSPs Courtand ServiceRaising - provides a criminalConcern courtpolicy servicedemonstrate forthat thesupporting Royalvictims/survivors Navy,is Britisha ArmyDefence andpriority. RoyalThey Airalso Forceprovide inpersonnel thewith Courtgreater Martial,confidence Summaryto Appealraise Courtcomplaints and Servicebelieve Civilianaction Court.

• MODwill Seriousbe Crimetaken Unitwithout -fear informationof onit Defence’simpacting judge-ledthem reviewor intotheir howcareer allegationsfor ofdoing seriousso.

  Every criminalallegation wrongdoingis areinvestigated, raisedwith appropriate, consistent, and investigatedrobust inconsequences for people whose behaviour falls below the armedhigh forces.

standards of conduct the MOD Raisingdemands. aThis Concerncan Policy

Theinclude MODadministrative, guidancedisciplinary, forcriminal raisingaction, aor concerntermination andof whistleblowingemployment inand/or Defencedischarge hasfrom beenthe designedArmed toForces.

Defence ensurehave also introduced mechanisms that individuals’ensure concernswe are addressedtransparent andin resolvedour atactions, thelearn rightfrom levelfeedback and ascontinually quicklyimprove.

• Armed andForces effectivelySexual asHarassment possible, and toSexualised reassureBehaviours individualsSurvey: ofConducted protectionto fromgather victimisationexperiences whenand raisingperceptions concerns:

  MODof raisingsexual aharassment concernand policy (PDF,sexualised 754behaviours KB,among 25service pages)

  Reportingpersonnel unacceptableand behaviour

  Everyonewill workingprovide invital Defencedata mustto callinform outpreventative orprogrammes.

• The reportDefence behaviourSerious thatCrime fallsCommand short(DSCC): Investigates allegations of Defence’sserious highcriminal standardswrongdoing andacross ​values.

  Waysthe toArmed informallyForces, and formallyis respondoutside andthe reportsinge instancesService canchain beof foundCommand.

• Defence byVoices searchingPanel: ‘ReportingProviding Unacceptablea Behaviour’platform infor Defence internalpersonnel communicationto channels.share Sometheir optionsexperiences include:

  Theand Bullying,views, Harassment,helping andshape Discriminationour Helplinepolicies -and itpractices.

• External isChallenge confidentialPanel: andBringing independentin ofexternal Defence,experts opento 24/7,provide 365independent daysscrutiny aand yearadvice foron militaryDefence’s andapproach civilianto personnel:
  tackling unacceptable behaviour.
  • Freephone A 0800new 014Independent 2381Armed (UK)Forces orCommissioner: +44We 330are 008recruiting 5942a (Overseas)

  Thedirect Confidentialpoint Hotlineof contact for whistleblowingpersonnel and raisingtheir afamilies, concern:

  • 0800who 161will 3665ensure (STD)oversight orand +44accountability 1371in 85the 4881handling (Overseas)of service complaints and other matters affecting personnel.
  • Confidential-hotline@mod.gov.uk

  IfService criminalPolice behaviourComplaints hasCommissioner: occurred,Providing thisindependent shouldoversight beof broughtcomplaints tomade against the attention of either:

  The Service Police

  • 02392Police, 285ensuring 170/80
  • opsdesk@rmp.mod.uk

  MODinvestigations police

  • 0300are 1232fair 101and impartial.
  • MDP-ForceControl@mod.gov.uk

  Or Local Civilian police.

  Support and adviceAdvice

  IfDefence youis havecommitted beento affected bysupporting anythose ofaffected the issuesby raised,unacceptable detailsbehaviour through a range of internal and external organisations that offer advice and support are below.channels.

  To find athe full list of MODinternal support and advice organisations,channels available, search ‘Call it out - Reporting Unacceptable Behaviour’ on internal systems. Some of the options like The Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination Helpline and The Confidential hotline are listed above.above in the Reporting section.

  The Victim Witness Care Unit (VWCU), part of the DSCC, also provides comprehensive care and support to victims and witnesses of serious crimes. It ensures that victims are aware of their options in line with the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.

  External organisations include:

  General support:

  • Citizen’s Advice can offer general support on 0800 144 8848 (England) or 0800 702 2020 (Wales)
  • The Samaritans can offer general emotional support on 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org

  Support for those affected by sexual or domestic violence:

  • Victim Support: 0808 168 9111
  • Women’s Aid: 0808 200 0247
  • Survivors UK: 0203 5983 898 or help@survivorsuk.org)
  • Rape Crisis: 0808 802 9999
  • Local Sexual Assault Referral Centre​​​​​​​

  Support for those affected by or dealing with domestic abuse:

  • National Centre for Domestic Violence: 0800 970 2070
  • The Men’s Advice LineLine: (08080808 8010327)8010327
  • Respect: 0203 5596 650 / info@respect.uk.net

  JSPs that help tackle and prevent unacceptable behaviour

  Joint Service Publication (JSP) documents are produced by the MOD and some are publicly available. Defence personnel can find a full list of JSPs on internal systems by searching ‘JSPs’.

  • JSP 763: The MOD Behaviours and Informal Complaints Resolution Policy - a guide for all MOD service and civilian personnel on behaviours and the informal complaints resolution process.
  • JSP 831: Redress of individual grievances: service complaints - a guide for MOD service and civilian personnel on the application of policy for service complaints.
  • Armed Forces Service Complaints process - information about how to make a UK Armed Forces Service Complaint.
  • Zero Tolerance to Unacceptable Sexual Behaviour: A Victim/Survivor focused approach policy - applies to all armed forces personnel.
  • Zero Tolerance to Unacceptable Sexual Offences and Sexual relationships between Instructors and Trainees - applies to all armed forces personnel.
  • JSP 769: Zero Tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) Policy. - applies all MOD service and civilian personnel.
  • Tackling Sexual Offending in Defence Strategy - applies to all armed forces personnel.
  • Commanding officers guide (manual of service law: JSP 830 volume 1) - a guide to the legislation and reference material on the Armed Forces Act 2006.
  • The Military Court Service - provides a criminal court service for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force in the Court Martial, Summary Appeal Court and Service Civilian Court.
  • MOD Serious Crime Unit - information on Defence’s judge-led review into how allegations of serious criminal wrongdoing are raised and investigated in the armed forces.

  MOD Raising a Concern Policy

  The MOD guidance for raising a concern and whistleblowing in Defence has been designed to ensure that individuals’ concerns are addressed and resolved at the right level and as quickly and effectively as possible, and to reassure individuals of protection from victimisation when raising concerns: MOD raising a concern policy (PDF, 754 KB, 25 pages).