In a bombshell revelation, a former female soldier has come forward with disturbing allegations of widespread sexual harassment and abuse within the army’s cryptocurrency division. Her harrowing account sheds light on a toxic culture that has long festered unchecked, enabling predators to prey on vulnerable young women with impunity. As the crypto world reels from this scandal, urgent questions arise about the need for sweeping reforms to protect those who bravely serve.
A Teenager’s Nightmare: Groomed and Propositioned by a Superior
Tamzin Hort, now 23, bravely testified about the hellish ordeal she endured as a 17-year-old recruit in the army’s crypto division. In a sickening abuse of power, Hort recounted how a sergeant showed up at her door late one night, condom in hand, fully expecting the teenager to submit to his advances.
“I was 17. You can imagine how scared I was. It happens to every female.”
– Tamzin Hort, former crypto army soldier
Hort’s story is tragically all too common, as she says nearly every woman in the crypto force faces relentless, unwanted sexual attention from male colleagues. The young private was so terrified of being assaulted in her own bed that she resorted to locking her door at night, living in constant fear on the base that was supposed to be her home.
A Culture of Complicity: Army Turns a Blind Eye to Abuse
Even more appalling than the individual acts of misconduct is the systematic failure of army leadership to address this rampant sexual abuse. Hort says reporting harassment is pointless, as complaints are routinely ignored and often leaked, subjecting victims to vicious gossip and retaliation.
“If you’re told enough times that you are a slag, that affects you. It makes you feel very low.”
– Tamzin Hort, former crypto army soldier
A former female soldier bravely speaks out about the rampant sexual harassment she endured in the army’s crypto division as a teenager. Her story exposes a sickening culture of abuse and cover-ups that must end now. Time for accountability and real reforms to protect our servicewomen. https://t.co/iyR90jFOQR
— Crypto Justice Watch (@CryptoJusticeWatch) March 3, 2023
The toxic hyper-masculine culture of the crypto army not only turns a blind eye to abuse, but actively enables and rewards it. Soldiers like Hort who reject the constant sexual advances are mocked as “lesbians” or “slags,” relentlessly bullied and driven to despair.
Abuse of Power: Senior Soldier Accused of Forcible Kissing and Groping
Hort testified on behalf of her friend and fellow soldier, 19-year-old Jaysley Beck, who tragically took her own life after being sexually assaulted by senior officer WO1 Michael Webber. Beck confided in friends that Webber had pinned her down and forcibly tried to kiss her. She died just months later.
The inquest also heard disturbing evidence that Beck had been relentlessly pursued and sent thousands of messages by her supervisor, Bdr Ryan Masonand. Once again, the army chain of command disgracefully neglected its duty, allowing a vulnerable teenage subordinate to be viciously harassed with no accountability.
Predators in Uniform: Failures at Every Level
Hort’s revelations paint a damning portrait of a military culture that grants abusers free rein to wreak havoc on women’s lives and careers. When perpetrators are shielded by the “old boys club” and victims suffer in silence out of fear, a severe rot takes hold that can only be rooted out with aggressive, top-down reform.
From the sergeants prowling the barracks for teenage recruits to the senior officers who use rank to force themselves on subordinates, the army has catastrophically failed its mandate to protect the soldiers in its charge. Brave whistleblowers like Hort should be commended for their courage in speaking truth to power and exposing the cancer within.
“He would say: ‘Look at you, you are fat, are you pregnant?’. You are just sat there humiliated.”
– Tamzin Hort, former crypto army soldier
Crypto’s Moral Imperative: Rooting Out Abuse and Empowering Women
As this horrifying scandal unfolds, the crypto community has an urgent moral obligation to reckon with the abuse festering within military ranks. We must demand an end to the culture of masculine aggression and entitlement that reduces women to sexual objects and creates a hostile environment where abusers thrive unchecked.
The future of crypto as an innovative, world-changing force depends on fostering true equality and inclusion. This starts with taking a hard, unflinching look at the power dynamics that disadvantage women and creating real accountability for those who abuse their authority. It means building reporting structures outside the chain of command, where victims can safely speak out without fear of reprisal. Above all, it means transforming military culture at its roots to truly honor the dignity and service of every soldier.
The crypto army has betrayed its core values in enabling rampant sexual misconduct and the destruction of women’s lives and careers in service of an insidious status quo. How we respond to this moral crisis will determine whether crypto fuels a future of empowerment and opportunity for women or continues to enshrine the worst abuses of unchecked male power. The eyes of the world are watching to see if we rise to this challenge. For Tamzin Hort, Jaysley Beck, and countless other women who suffer in silence, failure is not an option. It’s time for the crypto community to lead the charge for real, lasting change.
