Soldier tells Defence Forces Tribunal: 'There will always be a fear of coming forward'

Asked if life in the Defence Forces had improved in recent years, Mr S said that while 'in some ways it has', he felt the changes were 'just skin deep', adding that issues around bullying 'haven’t changed'. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

A serving soldier who tried to tell a senior officer he was sexually assaulted claims the officer just “backed away” from him and the allegation was never followed up, the Defence Forces Tribunal has heard.

The alleged incident happened in the past “two to three years” and, according to the soldier, followed a 30-minute talk about “how to talk to women and all that stuff” and the Defence Forces’ complaints process.