Kerry-Ann Knight, a former British Army soldier, has received a settlement and an apology after taking her case to an employment tribunal. Knight, 33, endured 12 years of racist and sexist abuse during her military career, which she claims ultimately forced her out of the role she loved.
Initially, Knight believed the army would provide a supportive community, a promising career path, and a sense of stability. She hoped to become a role model for other young Black women, paving the way for their future in the military. However, her aspirations were shattered by the constant barrage of abuse she faced throughout her service.
Knight joined the 26 Regiment Royal Artillery (26 RA) at the age of 20 and was posted to Germany. In her witness statement, she described serving alongside individuals who supported extremist groups and recounted being subjected to derogatory names and graphic, offensive graffiti. “One evening I returned to my room to see someone had drawn images of huge black penises all over the wardrobes in my room,” she said in her statement, according to The Guardian.
Knight was also featured on a recruitment poster during her training, depicted with the words “Your army needs you and your self-belief.” She initially believed this was due to her training achievements, unaware that she was the only Black woman in the regiment. “I didn’t know it was because I was going to be the only Black woman in that regiment,” she told The Guardian. “I didn’t know what I was in for.”
When she signed up for the campaign, Knight said, she had “this bright hope that I’m helping to change things”. In promotional materials, she appears happy and excited – “but when I turned up to the unit, that wasn’t my lived experience”, she told The Guardian. “There was a lot of sexism,. However, when you put race into play, as well, for me, it just felt like it was multiplied by 10.”
In 2021, Knight became an instructor at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, hoping for a better environment. However, the harassment continued. She faced racial slurs, threats, and colleagues who mocked her with racist remarks and references to brutal scenes from the film “Django Unchained.”
Knight tried to address the abuse through informal and formal complaints, providing evidence such as WhatsApp screenshots and audio recordings. However, after filing a formal complaint at AFC Harrogate, she was removed from her role under the pretext of protecting her mental and emotional well-being.
“I think when it got to that stage, that’s when I just realised that the army is institutionally racist,” Knight told The Guardian. “And they would go above and beyond to discredit me as an individual, to protect the army image, to portray that racism doesn’t exist, even though it was there in black and white.”
In December 2022, with support from the Centre for Military Justice and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), Knight sought legal advice. Emma Norton, Knight’s solicitor, criticized the army’s approach, saying that it targeted Knight for her complaints rather than addressing the issues. EHRC Chair Kishwer Falkner emphasized the British army’s duty to protect employees from discrimination as a major employer and public authority.
An MoD spokesperson reiterated the army’s zero-tolerance policy for abuse and discrimination, asserting that all allegations are thoroughly investigated and addressed. The MoD settled Knight’s claim in June without admitting liability.
