BBK Manifesto 2025: Protect military trainees, criminalise instructor relationships
Sexual relationships between trainees and instructors are never relationships of equals. They involve an inherent imbalance of power, where one party holds authority over the other’s career, training and wellbeing.
In the Armed Forces, where discipline, hierarchy and trust are central, this imbalance is even more acute and can lead to exploitation and abuse of authority, which is why BBK is calling for these relationships to be made illegal.
A promise made, yet to be delivered
As Defence Secretary, the Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP publicly pledged to criminalise sexual relationships between instructors and trainees. In an interview with The Telegraph in December 2022 he spoke of the need for “a severe response and sanction” and said offenders could face dismissal and even custodial sentences. He reiterated this commitment at the first Women in Defence All-Party Parliamentary Group reception in June 2023.
This was a clear acknowledgement from Government that such conduct is an abuse of trust. The current Government must now make good on that promise by introducing legislation.
Tragic cases highlight the need for legal reform
The inquest into the death of Olivia Perks, which attracted national media attention, revealed Olivia died by suicide just 10 weeks before her commissioning date. A central feature of her case was an inappropriate relationship with a member of training staff.
Similarly, the inquest into Gunner Jaysley Beck’s death revealed unwanted advances from her immediate line manager.
These are not isolated incidents. They reflect recurring patterns of abuse and misuse of power within the Armed Forces. If a law criminalising these relationships had been in place, it might have prevented the chain of events that led to these deaths.
A strong deterrent that signals cultural change
Making these relationships a criminal offence would provide a vital safeguard for young service personnel. It would send a clear message that the abuse of power over trainees is unacceptable and will be met with serious legal consequences. Criminalisation would strengthen the deterrent effect, reinforce a zero-tolerance culture and help accelerate the cultural reform the Armed Forces desperately needs.
The Government must act now
The promise has been made, and the evidence for change is overwhelming. The Government must act swiftly to criminalise sexual relationships between trainees and instructors. Doing so would protect vulnerable recruits, uphold professional standards and send an unambiguous message that safeguarding those in training is a non-negotiable duty.
This blog is part of our 2025/26 Manifesto for Injured People. At Bolt Burdon Kemp, we support injured people not only by winning their cases but by driving change. Guided by our clients’ experiences and partnerships with charities across the UK, we are raising awareness of the change we need to see to better support injured people. We will continue working with politicians from all parties to ensure injured people’s needs are not overlooked in Westminster or beyond. You can read our full manifesto here.
