Carrie-Ann Knight joined the British Army with hopes of paving the way for black women, but instead endured 12 years of harassment and discrimination. Recently, she received an apology from the Employment Tribunal for the gender and racial abuse she faced.
Carrie-Ann Knight felt she had landed an incredible career opportunity when she joined the British Army. She hoped to pave the way for black women but instead endured 12 years of harassment and discrimination. After enlisting at age 20 and completing her training, Knight joined the 26th Royal Artillery Regiment and was deployed to Germany. Despite being celebrated in a famous photograph in her army uniform, she now feels regret.
In her witness statement presented to the court, Knight recounted being called derogatory names by male soldiers and finding obscene sexual images drawn all over her room’s lockers one evening. She filed complaints about gender and racial discrimination within the British Army, stating that while posters depicted a happy face, reality was quite different.
Knight hoped to make a difference when she was accepted as an instructor at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate in 2021, where her role involved training new recruits aged 16 and 17. However, colleagues repeatedly referenced a film where a black female character is tortured inside a box, suggesting that Knight deserved a similar fate.
Over several years, Knight attempted both informal and formal complaints about racism and misogyny within the armed forces. She supported her claims with evidence including WhatsApp screenshots and audio recordings. Due to the psychological toll from sexual harassment and humiliation during her service years, Knight’s mental health deteriorated, leading to her removal from her training position.
The Ministry of Defence settled this claim with Carrie-Ann Knight in June without admitting liability.
Source: The Guardian