More than half of all women in the Armed Forces have battled sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination.
A report out today reveals that 58% of 16,500 serving military women and 64% of women veterans have been victims – and the worst offences include rapes and assaults.
Many perpetrators escaped justice or faced only minor disciplinary action.
The report, by the Women in the Armed Forces sub-committee, makes 53 recommendations to the Ministry of Defence to tackle the mistreatment of females.
It claims that failings are preventing women from reaching their potential and putting them at risk of serious harm.
Army veteran and sub-committee chair Sarah Atherton MP said: “It is difficult not to be moved by stories of trauma suffered by women at the hands of colleagues.”
The report reveals women have a total lack of faith in the MoD’s complaints system, with six in ten choosing not to speak out about the abuse they suffer.
A third of those who did complain rated the experience “extremely poor”.
The report also criticises the military’s handling of sexual assault and harassment claims.
It highlighted the case of a private called “Clara”, who was discharged with PTSD 18 months after being sexually assaulted by a senior colleague.
MPs were told that Clara felt let down by the police investigation and throughout the court martial process as it forced her to come into contact with her abuser again.
She has not worked since her ordeal.
The sub-committee is now urging the MoD to hand serious cases over to the civilian courts.
Ms Atherton said: “It cannot be right conviction rates in military courts are four to six times lower than in civilian ones. Military women are being denied justice.”
The report also says it is “extraordinary” the MoD is not getting basics like equipment right and urges the MoD to be more mindful of women’s health issues.
Veteran Tobias Ellwood, who chairs the Defence Select Committee, said: “It is clear that more can, and should, be done to protect servicewomen and female veterans, who have, far too often, been let down by the Ministry of Defence. “Where there has been injustice, rectifications must be made.”
And Former Army Intelligence Officer Col Philip Ingram, of the Independent Defence Authority, said: “From this report, Defence certainly does not put its people first.”
Minister of State for Defence, Baroness Goldie, said: “Many changes have been introduced to improve the experience for women in the Armed Forces. But this experience is not yet equal and very occasionally, can be really harmful.
“I profoundly regret that. We shall examine this report closely and use it to build on the improvements we have made.”
