00:00This has really been described as a watershed moment for the women of defence, but especially
00:07for those that have been the victim of serious sexual violence, harassment, discrimination
00:12or bullying while in rank.
00:15That's also because a class action of this size and scope against defence has never been
00:21seen before.
00:22It's being run on an opt-out basis and that means that defence will be required to notify
00:27all women who have served since November 2003 to May this year and they will automatically
00:34be enrolled in this class action but can opt out if they feel like they have not been impacted.
00:40But certainly the law firm behind this class action, JGA Sadler, anticipates there will
00:45be thousands if not more than 10,000 women who will be part of this class action.
00:52It's headed by four leagued anonymous applicants and they hail from separate parts of the Australian
00:59Defence Force.
01:00And they say, some say that they were forcibly groped or kissed.
01:05One woman says that her male colleague would repeatedly rub his groin against her so that
01:10she could feel his genitals through his clothes.
01:14Certainly the ABC has spoken with many women, current and ex-serving members whose stories
01:20have been harrowing to say the least.
01:22One woman told me that her boss threatened to rape her into submission if she didn't
01:27comply with his orders.
01:29Another woman said that she overheard a conversation between colleagues where one said that all women
01:34were pigs and deserved to be shot.
01:37The director of this law firm, Josh Aylwood, said that he's spoken with hundreds of women
01:42and their stories have been shocking.
01:44There are stories in the ADF that are the most horrific stories you could actually imagine.
01:49Like serious sexual violence and sexual assault.
01:54And there are women who go to work in the ADF that have serious sexual violence happen
02:00to them on more than one occasion.
02:02And when they report it, there are some of them that get bashed for reporting it.
02:10And this is not ancient history.
02:12They get bashed by the perpetrator or bashed by someone else for being a snitch about what
02:15happened to them.
02:16And those types of things just still to this day shock me.
02:21Because how a woman can go to work and that is something they have to worry about just blows
02:26my mind.
02:28The ADF says there is no place for sexual violence or misconduct in the Australian Defence Force.
02:34It is working to implement strategies, prevention strategies for this.
02:39It's also working on educating its members as well.
02:42But Ros, certainly this isn't the first time we've heard something like this.
02:46Themes like this were repeatedly brought up in the Royal Commission.
02:49There's been countless enquiries, reports and investigations and certainly media reports.
02:54And at least for the women that I've spoken with, this class action really couldn't come
02:59soon enough.
03:00And they're thinking, will this be the catalyst for change in the Defence Force and if not,
03:05what will it take?
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