The details of a report into the Defence Force have revealed a horrific history of physical and sexual abuse that continues to this day.

The report, obtained by the ABC, was commissioned after the Defence Force Skype scandal unleashed a deluge of complaints dating back more than half a century.

Hundreds of stories poured into the review held by law firm DLA Piper - from acts of ritual bastardisation to horrifying tales of brutal sexual assault against children as young as 13.

When the review was released in March this year it was heavily censored, with only 10 pages of the executive summary made public, but the ABC's 7.30 program has obtained the full executive summary.

While the edited version had a single line which noted the earliest reported abuse was in 1951 on a 13-year-old boy, the full story is much more disturbing and shows abuse of children was widespread.

"It is certain that many boys were subjected to serious sexual and physical assault and other serious abuse while they were in the ADF from the 1950s through to the 1970s - and possibly into the 1980s," the report said.

The Navy recruited 13-year-olds until the late 1960s and until the 1980s, all three services recruited boys as young as 15.

In that time the report said: "The ADF and successive Australian governments failed to put in place adequate protections to take into account the special needs and vulnerability of boys of 13, 14, 15 and 16 years of age to protect them from other boys and from adults in the ADF".

"John" was one of the 847 people who lodged a complaint.

"In 1988 I was in the air force and based in Victoria. I was raped by a 50-year-old corporal," he said.

"He also raped and sexually abused other minors in the air force at the time. There was an investigation, I was the whistleblower regarding the incidents.

"Many incidents who had then come to the attention of the many officers which they already knew about and he was discharged. And consequently - I was 18 at the time - they also wanted me discharged."

Like many of the other boys, young men and women who were abused, John has gone onto suffer lifelong torment.

"The past 25 years basically I've been in institutions and hospitals, psychiatric wards," he said.

"It's been hard to trust people, relationships, [I've] never been married, really haven't had a job in 25 years."

The review also received complaints from men and women who had been recruited as young adults.

"It is certain that many young males and females have been subjected to serious sexual and physical assault and other serious abuse while they were in the ADF from the 1950s at least into the 21st century," the report said.

Cycle of abuse

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 10 minutes 36 seconds 10 m Revelations show ADF's disturbing culture of abuse ( Chris Uhlmann )

One of the most disturbing claims made in the report is that many of those abused went on to perpetrate similar acts against recruits who followed.

It cites the former junior recruit training base in Fremantle - HMAS Leeuwin - as one of the worst incubators of abuse in the late 1960s and early 70s.

And of a chapter in the review that remain secret it says - "The examples selected are horrific. Because they give an indication of the sort of abuse that occurred".

What happened at HMAS Leeuwin is no secret to Barry Heffernan of the Vietnam Veteran's Association.

"HMAS Leeuwin was a common denominator and they had the various levels of peer pressure and it started at the bottom," he said.

"They were victims so they decided to victimise someone else. I suppose it's a law of the jungle like that and to young kids, naive off the streets, 15 years old, they fear for their lives.

"What a hell of a way to live a life and begin life like that."

Lawyer Brian Briggs acts for many victims of abuse, and is not surprised by the review's findings.

"There's been a breach in the duty of care that was owed to these young members and service personnel," he said.

The review finds that abuse persisted in Defence despite multiple reports and attempts to end it, and that the military culture itself gave rise to the abuse.

"[There were] no adverse consequences for abusive behaviour... A culture discouraging reporting of abuse... And the chain of command structure in Defence lends itself to superiors abusing juniors with impunity," the report said.

'It's still going on'

Mr Heffernan agrees senior staff turned a blind eye to the abuse.

"I know one girl who was raped and she told her CO about it and he just said 'that's how it goes darl', and she has worn that ever since and turned to alcohol and all the rest of it," he said.

The report says there appears to have been no appetite in defence to prosecute abusers and many of those involved likely remain within the ADF.

"Defence records show very little evidence that perpetrators had been called to account," it says.

"There is a risk that those perpetrators now hold middle and senior management positions within the ADF... And there is a risk that those who witnessed abuse and did not report what they witnessed now hold middle and senior management positions within the ADF."

Brian Briggs believes there is little likelihood that anyone will be held to account.

"I don't think that they could go back, although a lot of the inquiries and the complainants that I saw could name names, and there were people who went on to become senior officers that were the perpetrators," he said.

"It would have to involve either criminal proceedings - now you're talking years and years and years have gone by - so I don't think prosecutors would be too interested in taking people to task."

John has not even been told if his submission has been been deemed by the review as plausible.

"People should be notified instead of basically sitting back and worrying and stressing more cause it's bringing up the past," he said.

And he fears there is little hope of real change in Defence.

"I'd only believe it if it actually happened to the Minister himself, if he had a son or a daughter and they were in the Defence Forces then something might change," he said.

Mr Briggs says there is evidence the culture of abuse is continuing to this day.

"On my desk [I've got a claim from], a member in the army, currently serving, who was subjected to abuse, bullying, harassment," he said.

"It's going on, I've got inquiries as recent as today going back days, weeks. It's still going on."

The review's executive summary is available here.