Uniform Justice: More women come forward to tell of sex assault cover-ups in Defence

Momentum is building for our campaign to lift the veil of secrecy over sex assaults in the Defence Force. Today, another brave woman tells her story.

Former Navy chaplain Melissa Baker, who was viciously sexually assaulted by a sailor, is demanding change. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

A former army officer-turned-lawyer has warned both sides of politics that more good people will be lost unless they put a stop to the Australian Defence Force investigating itself.

“As long as governments of both persuasions keep allowing Defence to clean its own house, the mess will remain,” said Glenn Kolomeitz, who is representing a dozen survivors of military sex trauma.

His comments come as the federal Opposition praised The Sunday Telegraph’s campaign to highlight the mistreatment of military sexual assault victims.

Survivors, lawyers and experts are calling for the abolishment of internal ADF reporting, investigation, and rulings on all assault ­complaints.

Shayne Neumann, Opposition spokesman for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, said Labor was “committed to addressing sexual assault, misconduct and discrimination in the ADF, and ensuring that those personnel who have experienced mistreatment during their service receive all the support they need”.

Former Navy chaplain Melissa Baker when she was serving. Picture: Supplied.

Sexual assault victims, including Navy chaplain Melissa Baker, who was viciously sexually assaulted by a sailor she supported a year earlier, are demanding change.

It took her seven months to ­report the attack because past experiences led her to believe nothing would be done.

Campaign to end defence abuse information box

“I was his chaplain the year before and he asked if he could see me. He turned up to the meeting drunk. I should have walked away but I thought I will just listen and then leave,” Baker said, adding she had counselled thousands of sailors over her four years in the Navy.

After the meeting off-base in Sydney, Baker began walking home when the sailor pulled her into a taxi. She thought he would drop her home and then direct the taxi to his accommodation.

Instead he followed her into the security garage and pushed her into the lift with him, then sexually assaulted her.

“I was bleeding, bruised internally, and emotionally a mess. For the next week sitting was very painful because of the internal bruising. I couldn’t trust telling the Navy, they had covered up other abuse before, stuff that had happened to me and abuse that had happened to others.”

Grace Tosic, a sexual assault case manager, has spoken to many victims sexual assault in Defence. Picture Martin Ollman

Baker was poached by the Australian Navy having worked as a chaplain with NSW Police for seven years, and having spent time in New Zealand, London, Northern Ireland and Hong Kong police forces.

She worked with AFP while completing her doctoral thesis.

“To go into a workplace that should have high morals to defend our country and in the end your own people hurt you, that was devastating for me.”

Baker says she was pushed out of the Navy in 2015 ­because she continued to speak up for victims of bullying and sexual trauma, including herself.

In the end the system broke her spirit.

Grace Tosic, military sexual trauma case manager at GAP Veteran and Legal Services, sits with victims every day hearing their harrowing stories.

“Our clients all had careers ahead of them in Defence which were all cut short when they dared report the abuse to their chains of command,” she said.

“They were all retraumatised when the ­organisation they trusted and which owed them a duty of care failed them when they most needed support.’

Ms Tosic said the women she works with are survivors, not victims, because of their strength in speaking out.

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Originally published as Uniform Justice: More women come forward to tell of sex assault cover-ups in Defence