In a post that's since been removed

An Australian army captain said male and female prostitutes should be contracted by the armed forces to ease the stress of soldiers on the front line.

Captain Sally Williamson, currently stationed in the Middle East, raised the idea in a piece called 'Sex And War — A Conversation Army Has To Have', which according to The Daily Telegraph , was posted on an official Australian Army blog early in November.

"The Army could contract Australian male and female sex workers to service troops in forward operating bases and air bases,” she reportedly wrote.

Williamson observed that sex could help soldiers deal with the emotional pressure caused by "loneliness or prolonged absence from family, friends, partners and spouses".

"Improved intimacy and sexual interaction can help combat veterans with PTSD recovery," she added.

Williamson suggested that if bringing sex workers to conflict areas raised "moral, legal, practical, medical and logistical barriers", the Army should consider providing sex toys or "masturbation facilities" to the same end – or simply relaxing fraternisation regulations so troops who wish to are able to "have sexual relations in a safe, secure and controlled environment".

Otherwise, she reportedly wrote, the ADF "should be stricter in enforcing abstinence".

The defence force has distanced itself from her comments.

"The article was published on the Land Power Forum blog on 6 November 2017. It was removed on 15 November 2017 as it was not intended for the Land Power Forum and does not reflect Defence policy," a defence spokesperson said, according to the Telegraph.

"The Land Power Forum provides a discussion space for appropriately informed analysis, commentary, thoughts, and ideas among military practitioners, interested stakeholders and subject matter experts.

"Defence policy on conduct in the workplace has not changed."

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Williamson's recommendation was criticised by conservative veteran Bernard Gaynor, who wrote that it was "inconceivable" such an article be published on an official ADF platform.

But writing on her LinkedIn page several weeks ago, Williamson emphasised the context of the article: an Army-organised Staff Ride in Vietnam, retracing the steps of the conflict in Dien Bien Phu – where, she discovered, sex workers operated collaboratively with armed forces to "keep up the spirits of the troops".

She wrote that her suggestions were "inspired by a mature, well informed and honest conversation ... between a group of Army Officers and supervising staff from the Embassy and the Australian Army Research Centre".

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