MikeLigalig.com

    * By Ian McPhedran
    * From: Herald Sun
    * April 06, 2011 12:01AM





A FIRST-year army cadet at the nation's elite military academy faces serious charges and the sack after he allegedly filmed himself having sex with a female defence colleague and broadcast it to his mates.

It is the latest sex scandal at the army's where women have been the subject of serial harassment and abuse over the years.

The soldier, a student at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), allegedly met the colleague in his room for a dalliance last Tuesday night.

The woman claims she was unaware that in a nearby room six other male cadets, from all three services, had gathered around a computer screen for a live performance.

As the pair romped away the bawdy images were allegedly beamed live via webcam into the room full of blokes.

According to the unidentified woman, who Network Ten named "Kate'', still images were also taken and distributed.

She has been unable to mix freely with other cadets following the incident.

Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy Commodore Bruce Kafer said both Defence and the ACT Police were investigating the matter and if found guilty the soldier's career would be over."

If the perpetrators or those alleged to have been involved are found guilty of a crime, this could result in termination of their military careers,'' Commodore Kafer said.

"Kate" told Ten that the incident made her physically ill because she had trusted the guy. She said she would stick with her air force career.

"You see it on the TV and you read it in the papers that these things happen but until it happens to you, you don't actually believe that these things happen," she said.

"Now I have to deal with, 'is that her?'."

The woman contacted Ten because she was concerned that the men involved would just get a slap on the wrist and thing would be done.

The scandal coincides with a push by Defence to recruit more women into the Australian Defence Force.

There are just two female two-star officers, seven one-stars and 30 colonel equivalents and in 2011 there are 284 more women working in Defence than last year.

Defence has a zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment and criminal behaviour but its female participation rate stands at just 14.5 per cent.

Channel 10 was provided with exclusive access to Commodore Kafer and the woman was interviewed in her uniform by reporter and Army Reserve public affairs officer Matt Moran.

Captain Moran served in Afghanistan as the lead public affairs officer for Defence during 2009.

A defence spokesman said Moran had no contact with Defence public affairs regarding the story.

Defence would not provide any further details because the investigation was on-going.


http://www.heraldsun.com.au/

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=39862.0