Post by vgp on Apr 6, 2008 18:17:01 GMT 12
More bullies, fewer sexists in new-look armed forces
By LEIGH VAN DER STOEP - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 06 April 2008
Bullying in the Defence Force is on the rise, with complaints of abusive texts, assault and intimidation.
The army, navy and airforce dealt with nearly as many bullying complaints in the first half of 2007 as they had for all of 2006, statistics released to the Sunday Star-Times reveal.
Between January 1 and June 30 last year, 27 complaints of bullying were lodged including two complaints of sexual harassment and two of text bullying. There were 34 in 2006.
But complaints of sexual harassment are down, with five complaints made in the first six months of last year compared with 21 in 2006.
The figures, released under the Official Information Act, reveal the number of complaints for bullying has been steadily increasing since 2005 which saw 27 complaints.
In one case, a 26-year-old army instructor was sentenced in June last year to two months in military prison and sacked for kicking and punching recruits at Waiouru, it was reported.
In March last year the Star-Times reported a young woman in the navy had to be hospitalised after apparently being bullied.
The extent of her injuries was unknown but it is understood the woman has since left the navy.
Defence spokesperson Commander Shaun Fogarty put the increase in complaints down to better reporting systems and a push for greater awareness of the bullying issue.
"Our policy is zero tolerance. We take this very seriously it goes against the core values of our defence force."
He said there were around 13,500 defence force staff members and complaints had been lodged against "less than 0.1 per cent".
While any complaint of bullying or harassment was a concern, the Defence Force was pleased with progress made over the last 10 years, he said.
In 1997 the issue of harassment in the military blew up when former naval rating Larissa Turner went to the Human Rights Commission over the navy's dismissive handling of her sexual harassment complaints.
The move prompted a major independent audit of gender integration and the anti-harassment policy was developed.
In recent years 580 staff have been trained as "anti-harassment advisers" to enable them deal with complaints effectively.
Fogarty said it was important to note that last year the Defence Force won an Equal Employment Opportunity Trust Award.
Bullying complaints received over the last three years ranged from inappropriate language to "an instruction that might be a bit over the top", Forgarty said.
National defence spokesperson Wayne Mapp said there had been ongoing concerns about Defence Force culture but he was assured the issue was being dealt with "pro-actively".
He accepted "at face value" the increase in bullying complaints was because offences were becoming easier to report.
Fogarty said complaints could be dealt with informally "a hand-shake and an apology", there could be internal mediation, outside experts could be called in to help or the matter could be referred to police.
In 2005 and 2006, five complaints were referred to police, including one of inappropriate emails sent to a civilian.
www.stuff.co.nz/4466709a10.html
By LEIGH VAN DER STOEP - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 06 April 2008
Bullying in the Defence Force is on the rise, with complaints of abusive texts, assault and intimidation.
The army, navy and airforce dealt with nearly as many bullying complaints in the first half of 2007 as they had for all of 2006, statistics released to the Sunday Star-Times reveal.
Between January 1 and June 30 last year, 27 complaints of bullying were lodged including two complaints of sexual harassment and two of text bullying. There were 34 in 2006.
But complaints of sexual harassment are down, with five complaints made in the first six months of last year compared with 21 in 2006.
The figures, released under the Official Information Act, reveal the number of complaints for bullying has been steadily increasing since 2005 which saw 27 complaints.
In one case, a 26-year-old army instructor was sentenced in June last year to two months in military prison and sacked for kicking and punching recruits at Waiouru, it was reported.
In March last year the Star-Times reported a young woman in the navy had to be hospitalised after apparently being bullied.
The extent of her injuries was unknown but it is understood the woman has since left the navy.
Defence spokesperson Commander Shaun Fogarty put the increase in complaints down to better reporting systems and a push for greater awareness of the bullying issue.
"Our policy is zero tolerance. We take this very seriously it goes against the core values of our defence force."
He said there were around 13,500 defence force staff members and complaints had been lodged against "less than 0.1 per cent".
While any complaint of bullying or harassment was a concern, the Defence Force was pleased with progress made over the last 10 years, he said.
In 1997 the issue of harassment in the military blew up when former naval rating Larissa Turner went to the Human Rights Commission over the navy's dismissive handling of her sexual harassment complaints.
The move prompted a major independent audit of gender integration and the anti-harassment policy was developed.
In recent years 580 staff have been trained as "anti-harassment advisers" to enable them deal with complaints effectively.
Fogarty said it was important to note that last year the Defence Force won an Equal Employment Opportunity Trust Award.
Bullying complaints received over the last three years ranged from inappropriate language to "an instruction that might be a bit over the top", Forgarty said.
National defence spokesperson Wayne Mapp said there had been ongoing concerns about Defence Force culture but he was assured the issue was being dealt with "pro-actively".
He accepted "at face value" the increase in bullying complaints was because offences were becoming easier to report.
Fogarty said complaints could be dealt with informally "a hand-shake and an apology", there could be internal mediation, outside experts could be called in to help or the matter could be referred to police.
In 2005 and 2006, five complaints were referred to police, including one of inappropriate emails sent to a civilian.
www.stuff.co.nz/4466709a10.html
