An Cosantóir

| 27 www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 27 highlighted by the "Women of Honour" report (Department of Defence, 2021). This report revealed longstanding issues of sexual harassment, assault, and organisational silence, prompting urgent reflection and reform. In response, the Defence Forces drew upon an established international model pioneered in New Zealand - a country that had similarly faced scrutiny over the treatment of women in its military (Bryant, 2019). The New Zealand model provided a structured and research-informed framework for addressing harmful behaviours and reshaping cultural norms within defence institutions. Building on this foundation, the SERR Programme was adapted to suit the unique context of the Irish Defence Forces and piloted under the direction of (then) Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) Brigadier General Rossa Mulcahy, marking a significant commitment at senior leadership level to drive change from the top down (Fitzgerald, 2022). Currently, the SERR Programme is led by the Personal Support Service (PSS), with Senior Occupational Social Workers and Brigade Personnel Support Service Officers (BPSSOs) playing a central role in its delivery. These professionals are actively enhancing the programme by incorporating contemporary research and methodologies, particularly through their completion of the National University of Ireland Galway's Active Consent Programme. Co-facilitation by senior occupational social work and BPSSO staff brings expertise from different professional backgrounds, with the value of the military knowledge and experience adding particular depth to the workshop content. This collaboration allows for the integration of evidence-based approaches to sexual ethics and consent education, ensuring that training remains current, relevant, and effective. Moreover, ongoing feedback from personnel participating in the training is being used to refine and improve its content and delivery, ensuring it responds meaningfully to the lived experiences of members across the Defence Forces. The workshop is carefully structured to engage participants while providing clear, actionable knowledge that aligns with military culture, legal standards and ethical considerations. The primary goal is to enhance the understanding of members of the Defence Forces about the fundamental principles of respectful relationships, consent and sexual ethics and to explore ways of implementing these to a high standard in their everyday working lives. The workshop balances a formal approach with interactive engagement to encourage meaningful reflection and discussion in a non-judgemental setting. The SERR programme includes both theoretical knowledge and tips for practical application. An overview of Irish law regarding sexual consent, sexual harassment and misconduct is provided. Discussion around how this applies within a military setting is facilitated by the use of hypothetical vignettes. Small group exercises are carried out and discussion around arising themes takes place within the larger group. A key element is the traffic light model, which categorises behaviours based on their level of acceptability and legality (Kaufman, 2018). 'Red' behaviours include criminal acts such as rape and sexual assault, while 'orange' denotes behaviours such as bullying and sexual harassment, which, although not always criminal, are undoubtedly unacceptable. 'Yellow' encompasses misconduct such as inappropriate jokes or comments, often overlooked but harmful nonetheless. In contrast, 'green' signifies respectful, inclusive, and appropriate communication and conduct – behaviours that the Defence Forces seek to promote and normalise. Through this model, personnel are provided with a clear, accessible framework to understand, identify, and respond to inappropriate or harmful actions (Edwards et al., 2021). Another central component of the programme involves critical reflection on Defence Forces culture and values, examining how certain traditions, norms, or hierarchies may unintentionally perpetuate or excuse problematic behaviours. This includes open discussions around gender, power dynamics, and groupthink (Hershey & Berman, 2019). Participants explore these issues through the lens of Bystander Theory, which encourages active intervention and shared responsibility. The training is interactive and immersive, incorporating group discussions, psycho-educational content, group exercises, videos, and structured feedback (Parker et al., 2020). A central principle of the workshop is the wellbeing and safety of its participants. Ensuring confidentiality and a safe space are essential, particularly for those who may have had personal experiences with sexual misconduct themselves. Given the subject matter, personnel are informed about available resources for reporting misconduct or seeking help both within the organisation and outside it. Facilitators remain available to support attendees during or after the workshop, should assistance be needed. Participant Experience Feedback from participants is sought through anonymous forms completed at the end of the workshop and participants are invited to contact the facilitators directly with any additional comments they would like to make: "The use of videos and group discussion made the training interesting and enjoyable." "It was great to have a space to discuss these issues openly and to be able to ask questions. Hearing other people's perspectives was really useful." "These are issues everyone needs to know about and understand, everything was clearly presented and well covered." "This workshop makes people aware that the culture has changed and that things are not always acceptable. Dinosaurs and Jurassic Park should be a movie, not a work environment." By engaging personnel in meaningful dialogue, integrating clear knowledge, ethical reflection and practical applications, the SERR workshop is proactively helping to strengthen awareness and accountability within the Defence Forces. Getting on board with creating a culture of respect and dignity not only fulfils our legal obligations - it is a cornerstone of a professional and ethical military environment. Full details of all references are available on request from the An Cosantóir Office www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE

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