South Wales fire service: Bosses tolerated sexual harassment, report says

A fire service tolerated sexual harassment and domestic abuse outside work, according to a damning review.

Allegations of sexism and abusive behaviour towards staff prompted an independent investigation of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWF&RS).

A report also detailed how the service "tolerates" firefighters posting sexualised images in their uniform on adult platform OnlyFans.

The chief fire officer Huw Jakeway apologised and will be stepping down.

The review found "serious deficiencies in the service" after surveying more than 450 staff.

It followed an ITV news report in 2022 claiming firefighters had kept their jobs despite allegations they had sexually harassed and abused women in the service.

The report found "the existence of a sexist and misogynist culture in many places in the service".

Its authors said they "heard and saw examples of inappropriate comments made to and/or about women and/or about the way they look or dress".

In one example, a man talked about a woman in a "sexualised" way and said "I would give her one".

Another employee said a group of senior leaders were heard saying "are you pinning the tail on that?" which was explained as being a comment about having sex.

The employee said no one thought that was inappropriate.

"Inappropriate behaviours exist within the service from the top down," the report also said.

It explained how its power structure "allows people to use their position to control and/or bully others".

Managers would shout at people, make "condescending comments" or make demands without any room for debate, the report's authors said, describing it as "a form of bullying".

The report heard "pictures of genitals" were sent to women within the service and that "inappropriate advances" were made towards women.

It found that a now retired firefighter at the service's Cardiff central station had refused to speak to or acknowledge women.

Examples of the "objectification of women" were also found as well as "inappropriate messaging" on social media, often in circumstances of a power imbalance between managers and junior employees, or instructors and new recruits.

The report found instances of inappropriate comments or conduct "challenging whether women were in fact fit to carry out the job".

"We were struck by the number of cases of assault, domestic abuse, and harassment we saw," the report's authors said.

They found the service "is not an inclusive place to work", with some senior female officers, becoming "hardened to sexist behaviours".

Another problem not being adequately addressed is drug and alcohol abuse the report says, attributing much of the behaviour "to intoxicated nights out".

Stephanie Grimshaw, head of public affairs and communications at Welsh Women's Aid, said the stepping down of Mr Jakeway must not be the end of change in the service.

She said that sadly Welsh Women's Aid was not shocked by what was detailed in the report as many women faced sexual harassment in the workplace "day in day out".

"This is an epidemic across all organisations," said Ms Grimshaw, adding that "systematic change" was needed within the service to tackle issues from the root and that issues had been allowed to fester with "nothing done about it".

The report also found the service "tolerates" the use of OnlyFans by its firefighters, with some employees posting sexualised images of themselves wearing items of uniform on the online adult platform.

It said management's response to this was "confused".

The report also said the service had tolerated sexualised images in posts by a firefighter.

These included a racial slur and aggressive criticism of the police.

There was also criticism of a social media post by the chief fire officer, who posted on X an image of a gin bottle and full glass with the hashtag "GinFriday", the day after a firefighter had ended his life.

The report found the service's social media policy is not fit for purpose.

"I am profoundly sorry," Mr Jakeway said in a statement.

"There is no place for inappropriate behaviour within SWF&RS.

"As chief fire officer, I fully accept the recommendations made in the report.

"Over the coming weeks, the service will reflect on the details in the report and determine steps to be taken to address the recommendations.

"This report, recommendations, and resulting action plan will empower the whole service to further develop a positive culture for the benefit of all employees and the communities we serve."

Responsibility for fire and rescue services in Wales is devolved.

Welsh government Deputy Minister for Social Partnership Hannah Blythyn said: "This is an important and highly critical report, which has exposed unacceptable behaviours and attitudes.

"It also identifies underlying failures in leadership, governance and decision-making by management at all levels of SWF&RS."

She said she will consider the report's findings.

Welsh Conservatives called it "worrying reading".

"People in south Wales deserve a fire service with a healthy culture, and so too do the fire service staff," said the party's spokesman on social partnership, Joel James.

Report author Fenella Morris recommended the service start to build positive cultural change and set clear behavioural standards, including examples of what is not tolerated.

She suggested a campaign be launched to stress that sexual harassment of female members of staff through inappropriate comments or social media is totally unacceptable and should be reported.

Safe spaces for staff to share experiences should also be created and training given, she added.

Cerith Griffiths of the Fire Brigades Union, which has a lot of members in SWF&RS, called the report "rather damning", and it accepted the criticism directed at those members.

"We have said we will work with the service to make sure that these recommendations are implemented and that people are free to come to work and feel happy," he said.