Lesbian Soldier Sues British Military For $800,000

User Rating: / 0
PoorBest 

Posted by Administrator in Military on October 23, 2008  |  0 Comments More from this author  |

(London) A lesbian soldier who won a discrimination case against Britain’s Ministry of Defense for ignoring her complaints that she was subjected to long-term harassment wants £400,000 (about $800,000 US) in compensation.

In January, a Leeds employment tribunal found the MOD guilty of discrimination against Lance Bombardier Kerry Fletcher, 32. Fletcher testified that after the military did nothing to stop the harassment by a sergeant and his army friends after she refused to have sex with him. Her car was vandalized, she was belittled at work and she received threatening phone calls.

Text messages from the sergeant to the woman were entered into evidence. In one he told her: “Look I might be able to convert you. You don’t know what you are missing.”

Her tormentor denied he had discriminated against, her claiming he was only legitimately enforcing discipline. The MOD denied it had swept under the carpet Fletcher’s complaints.

Nevertheless, the tribunal ruled that Fletcher had been the victim of “direct sex discrimination and harassment.”

Fletcher, an accomplished horsewoman, took part in the Trooping the Color ceremony and served with distinction in Bosnia.

“She is a completely innocent person whose life has been destroyed by the Army because she was rash enough to stand up for herself,” her attorney John Mackenzie said.

The British military ended its ban on gays and lesbians serving in the armed forces in 2000.

Source provided by 365 Gay