Building the Bigger Picture: Establishing a dataset to understand ex-serviceperson’s experience in the UK Armed Forces and address gendered harms’

Working with Diane Allen (OBE), this project aims to create archive of narratives collected as part of the ‘Forewarned Inbox'. We hope to create a large dataset of UK ex-service person’s experiences and challenges whilst serving in the UK Armed Forces, to support large-scale academic research on pervading themes and issues that arise from these experiences.

We want to take this moment to assure any readers who may have submitted their narrative to the 'Forewarned Inbox' that nothing has or will happen to what you have shared automatically and nor will it in the future without your explicit consent.

This initial project is primarily focused on the development of the archive itself - but we anticipate the archive could play an important role in future research. Indeed part of this project includes preparing this archive to be open to other academics - following review of ethical approval, and appropriate data-sharing agreements.

The Centre for Military Women Research hopes to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the dataset to explore women’s in-service experiences, which may include experiences of gender discrimination, bullying, sexual harassment and assault in service. As well also exploring options to examine men’s experiences of military culture.

Not applicable to this project.

Diane Allen has contacted those who have contributed their narrative via the 'Forewarned Inbox' with an invite to participate in this project, which provide much more detail about the project and what taking part would involved.