Over 60% of women in German military are sexually harassed, study finds

More than 60% of women serving in Germany’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, have experienced sexual misconduct ranging from lewd remarks to physical harassment, according to a new study presented by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), on Wednesday.The study set out to measure the true extent of unreported cases. In an anonymous online survey, respondents were able to answer 41 detailed questions. The results paint a shocking picture.“The extent of sexualised misconduct far exceeds the known reporting figures,” Pistorius said in a statement after presenting the report. Fewer than a third of cases were reported.“The study shows that the extent of sexualised misconduct is 3 to 5 times higher than the reported cases,” added Inspector General Carsten Breuer, Germany’s most senior military officer.The results confirm that sexual violence and harassment are a systemic problem within the Bundeswehr. Industry representatives fear the report could deter women from applying to join.“Respect for human dignity is our highest constitutional principle. Alongside mutual respect, collegiality, comradeship and responsible leadership, it is one of the core values of our Bundeswehr,” Pistorius writes in a foreword to the armed forces’ action plan against sexualised misconduct.“Sexualised violence and sexualised misconduct are incompatible with this value base and have no place in the Bundeswehr,” he continued.