Barry Lenihan reports on a whistleblower’s allegations of sexual assault and rape over decades in the Defence Forces.

Gardaí are investigating historic allegations of sexual abuse and assault within the Defence Forces. The investigation was launched following disclosures made to the Department of Defence made by a whistleblower. On Wednesday's Today with Claire Byrne, reporter Barry Lenihan told Claire what he found when he spoke to the whistleblower and others who have made allegations. He started by giving an overview of the disclosures made by the whistleblower: 

"The former sergeant alleges there's been systemic child sex abuse at the Curragh camp across several decades, dating back to the 1970s. And that a number of these allegations were never properly dealt with."

The Curragh camp in Kildare is the main training centre for the Defence Forces, Barry explained, and it includes married quarters where families would stay while the father served in the army. But the disclosures brought to the Department of Defence by the whistleblower aren't confined to the Curragh training centre, they also relate to the army and Naval Service more generally: 

"They include reports of rape and the abuse of rank for sexual favours, up to and including the last decades. Both men and women who served in the Defence Forces allege they were assaulted by colleagues, often of higher ranks, and were ignored or intimidated when they reported it."

Barry spoke to the whistleblower, Anthony O'Brien, about his experience in the army and how other alleged victims of sexual assault and abuse reached out to him when he made his allegations public. He collected up to forty pieces of information, the majority of them statements from alleged victims. Mr O'Brien, who served in the Defence Forces for 26 years, was sexually assaulted in the 1980s, he told Barry, and when he made a formal complaint, nothing happened:

"I named the officer, I told them what they'd done and I named it all. Great. And I never heard another thing. Not one thing."

Mr O'Brien told Barry that last year he put in a Freedom of Information request for a copy of any report written up about his complaint: 

"A couple of months later I got a letter saying they couldn't find it. Never heard another thing and no record."

Some of the people Mr O'Brien spoke to were sexually assaulted as children while living at the Curragh camp, some by family members, some by others, including soldiers at the barracks. Barry told Claire:

"Survivors speak of the psychological impact the abuse has had all these years later and how they feel as if they've never been listened to."

Barry spoke to some people who allege they were sexually assaulted while serving in the Defence Forces. What they told Barry is chilling. Dr Tom Clonan, former army officer and author of a groundbreaking equality report on women in the army, spoke to Barry about the latest revelations: 

"The disclosures by the whistleblower are, to me, with the experience I've had, investigating sexual abuse and sexual violence within the defence forces, the disclosures have more than the ring of truth. They're very credible."

The allegations involving the abuse of children at the Curragh camp are particularly disturbing to Dr Clonan, as they conform with instances of child abuse at other institutional settings:

"It fits a pattern of grooming, procurement – for want of a better expression – the accessing of a child and then sharing that access to a vulnerable child with other paedophiles."

Dr Clonan believes that an independent inquiry is needed and he's not the only one. Barry told Claire that the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces have said that they urge anyone with an allegation of sexual assault should contact the gardaí.

You can hear Barry's full report for the Today programme – including more testimony from alleged victims of sexual assault and rape – by going here. 

If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact the Rape Crisis Centre's national helpline on 1800 778 888 or The Samaritans on 116 123. You can find out about more resources here. 

Niall Ó Sioradáin