Women have said they had been "propositioned," "groped" and "touched repeatedly" by male colleagues at the ministry, the media cited extracts from the letter sent last month. The female servants said the workplace culture was "hostile to women as equal and respected partners." The letter includes several testimonies by women, which are said to be "the tip of the iceberg" and illustrative of a "current problem, not a historic one," the report said.
The women also said in the letter that their "day-to-day professional lives are made difficult thanks to behaviours that would be considered toxic and inappropriate in public life, but that are tolerated at the MoD."
"We are spoken over during meetings, we are subject to pejorative language, we receive unwanted attention and face sexual harassment, including intrusive staring, sexualised comments, running commentary about what we wear, how we look, and how we smell," the media quoted the letter.
The Guardian also quoted the ministry as saying on Thursday that it was "deeply concerned by the complaints made" and that it was "taking action to tackle the issues raised."
"No woman should be made to feel unsafe in Defence and this behaviour will not be tolerated. We also continue to encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed this kind of inexcusable behaviour, to report it immediately," the ministry's statement said.
The publication also cited a letter of response sent by Williams on October 5, in which he wrote that he was "disappointed and appalled" by the testimonies and assured the female workforce that their allegations were "being taken seriously and will be acted on." The secretary also said Adm. Tony Radakin, the chief of the defense staff, had been made aware of these allegations.
The media also quoted a spokesperson for UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps as saying on Thursday that he was "utterly appalled" by the testimonies, adding that "there is absolutely no place for this kind of 1970s behaviour in the modern workplace" and that he wants "to see the department taking swift and certain action to root it out."