British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued an apology on Wednesday to LGBT military veterans who had suffered sexual abuse, violence, bullying, and harassment during their service in the armed forces before the ban on homosexuality was lifted in 2000.
The United Kingdom lifted the ban following the European Court of Human Rights’ rejection of the argument that it was necessary to maintain morale and fighting strength among troops, deeming the policy a violation of human rights.
Prior to the ban being lifted, many gay individuals were compelled to conceal their sexual orientation or risk being discharged from the armed forces.
Last year, an independent review was initiated to examine the experiences of LGBT veterans who served between 1967 and 2000, with the aim of acknowledging the impact of these policies. The findings of the review were published on Wednesday.
Addressing the full House of Commons chamber, Sunak described the ban as an “appalling failure of the British state.”
The review revealed that over 1,120 responses were received through a public call for evidence, including approximately 300 from veterans who had been dismissed or discharged due to engaging in same-sex sexual acts or their homosexual orientation.
British Defence Minister Ben Wallace acknowledged that the review shed light on “a shameful and unacceptable historical chapter in our Armed Forces history.”
During a parliamentary statement, Wallace mentioned that the review had made 49 recommendations to the government, which included improved healthcare provisions for LGBT veterans and a financial award.
The government, accepting the majority of these recommendations in principle, will provide a comprehensive response after the parliamentary summer break, Wallace announced.
Homosexuality was decriminalized in England and Wales in 1967 and throughout the entire United Kingdom in the early 1980s.
