Interesting views here.
I have just completed 22 years in the RAF and believe me I have witnessed in my time some unspeakable acts of bullying and harrassment.
As a young LAC I witnessed females sexually harrassed by lecherous SNCOs and work colleagues; these young girls didn't know who to turn to half the time, were scared sh!tless of the perceived repurcussions, and so simply left. Even in my basic training our Flight JNCO used to roll into the block sh!tfaced after the NAAFI shut and throw his weight around. Nobody said anything because it was all too difficult and after all we were just trainees so who would believe us anyway?
Organisations like the Armed Forces have always unwittingly allowed some of the misfits of society to hide and wreak whatever emotional havoc they can on the vulnerable by virtue of their superiority in rank. Yes things are changing and people do know their rights better but astonishingly there are still large numbers of people in authority who pay lip service to the whole EO/E&D thing. You only have to read some of the bleatings on these fora to see that, and disgustingly it seems that the majority of posters are currently serving commissioned officers!
I myself have been victim of an officers 'wit', he regretted it very quickly when I redressed him and won. However I know it stuffed up my career and the whole nasty experience altered my outlook on the Service permanently, it changed my perspective and destroyed any enthusiasm and loyalty I once had so I have now gone.
Yes things are improving but remember what may be black humour or banter to one may be something very different to an other. Get with the programme gentlemen, this is serious stuff and not for flippancy. Some of the comments here have no place in a modern RAF.