South Devon MP Caroline Voaden has signed a joint letter to the Defence Secretary outlining her concerns after the launch of an investigation into rape and abuse claims at multiple army colleges.

The letter signed by six MPs, whose constituencies include some of the facilities being investigated, notes these claims should not be regarded as isolated incidents, with 10 military sites being examined by the recently appointed Armed Forces Commissioner.

It goes on to state that previous parliamentary inquiries, as well as the Ministry of Defence’s own research and repeated media investigations, have found a culture of sexual violence, harassment, and misogyny within military training, where victims lack the confidence to come forward.

Ms Voaden suggests there is a risk victims will again feel unable to speak following the decision to hand the investigation to the Armed Forces Commissioner, Polly Miller-Perkins.

Given Ms Perkins' long record of service, some victims have voiced concerns about such a senior figure within the military overseeing the investigation. The letter therefore urges the Defence Secretary to appoint independent, civilian specialists in sexual violence and trauma to support the Commissioner’s work.

The letter also requests the Defence Secretary outline what funding will be available to assist the investigation, whether the findings will be published in full and laid before Parliament, and for allegations of rape and serious sexual assault arising from this work to be referred to civilian police and prosecuting authorities, rather than the service justice system.

The investigation comes after the BBC revealed in August that four young women were assaulted and harassed at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.

Other reports have suggested further issues of substandard welfare structures, with soldiers in the Army Training Centre Pirbright, near Guildford, filing 16 pest-related complaints in 2026 alone.

South Devon MP, Caroline Voaden, says: "Reliving any experience of sexual violence is traumatic and difficult. It's vitally important that someone who is trained in the resulting trauma of sexual violence be present when young women are asked to contribute to this investigation.”