In November 2011, the Australian Human Rights Commission, in an audit report, put forward 31 recommendations to clean up the culture at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick recommended urgent sexual ethics training for the Defence Force cadets because sexual harassment, bad behaviour and offensive attitudes persists.

Ms Broderick made the initial report after a Skype sex scandal rocked the academy. Despite some progress in cleaning up the culture in the ADFA, the efforts were not enough as proven by the discovery in June of another video sex scandal in the academy involving soldiers and officers.

She recommended bringing in an external expert in sexual ethics to teach the cadets and midshipmen a more mature understanding of respectful and health relationships, attitudes and behaviour due to the continued instances of sexual harassment, behaviour and attitudes that are not welcome, not appropriate and offensive.

She admitted that cultural change in the magnitude proposed by the 31 recommendations could be fully achieved in just 12 months, which is an unrealistic expectation. Among the recommendations that had been put in place is assignment of support officers to live in cadet accommodation blocks to provide supervision and guidance.

Besides the training, Chief of Defence Force General David Hurley and Defence Minister Stephen Smith established the Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Office as the place where ADF members could seek confidential help if they experience any form of sexual assault or misconduct. Mr Hurley said the office will emphasise victim support in a bid to comfort the victim first instead of immediately seeking details of an offence.

The office will remove the possibility of the victims being traumatised again by going through the military bureaucracy in making a report.

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