Female recruits in the British Army were reportedly forced to strip down to their underwear and perform invasive exercises during medical examinations, Times UK has revealed. Allegations describe recruits being made to bend over, touch their toes, and expose themselves while doctors—who controlled the fate of their careers—checked their spines.
Gemma Morgan, 52, who served seven years in the Royal Logistic Corps, described her recruitment medical in the 1990s as “intimidating” and left her feeling “unsafe and vulnerable.” Morgan, the first woman to win the Carmen Sword as the best-ranked young officer in 1999, likened the exams to a “factory line” or “cattle market,” where recruits had no agency and were exposed to scrutiny.
Sarah Atherton, former MP and ex-Intelligence Corps member, recounted a similar experience in the late 1980s. She was instructed to remove her clothes, jump up and down, and bend forward while a doctor examined her spine. “When you are 18, you know no different. The doctors were in control. You trusted them,” Atherton told Times UK.
These disclosures follow Times UK’s earlier reporting that hundreds of women have come forward alleging sexual abuse during army medical examinations spanning five decades. Wiltshire police confirmed that investigations cover multiple army sites in the UK from the 1970s to 2016. While the full nature of the alleged abuse remains under review, some women reported inappropriate touching, including breast and internal examinations.
Atherton, who helped spark the military “Me Too” movement in 2021, said: “This is yet another scandal. It has been hidden under the surface.” She spoke to women who claim to have been sexually abused during enlistment medicals.
Morgan described being asked to strip to her underwear while bending forward for spine checks with no chaperone present. “It was like no other medical examination I have had in civvy street. It was exposing and very creepy,” she said. Morgan recalled the doctor walking behind her and making comments about her fitness, highlighting the power imbalance. “You were absolutely reliant on the doctor to pass you to get in. This was the gate either opening or shutting.”
A former officer also told Times UK that a civilian doctor on an overseas base in the 2000s conducted excessive breast and internal exams, leaving female soldiers and their families uncomfortable. Police are examining whether pre-2018 army guidance on medical examinations was followed and whether doctors exceeded their authority.
Since 2018, army policy has mandated explicit consent, chaperones, and only minimal clothing removal during medical exams. Inspections of breasts or genitalia are no longer required, and anus examinations are unnecessary for any candidate.
Morgan, who documented her experiences in Pink Camouflage, highlighted the psychological toll of these exams. “They held all the power. They could stop or start your career at the drop of a hat, so you were completely vulnerable,” she said.
An army spokesperson confirmed that current procedures prioritize dignity and consent: “Current medical examination policy includes explicit requirements for consent, use of chaperones and clear guidance that examinations are conducted with dignity and minimum requirement for clothing removal.”
Times UK’s reporting has brought renewed attention to the experiences of female recruits, exposing a decades-long culture of vulnerability and prompting scrutiny of army medical practices.
