Defence minister says extent of sexual misconduct found by study is ‘unacceptable’, as military tries to attract more recruits
Germany’s defence minister has promised a “zero tolerance” approach to sexual abuse in the armed forces after a study found soldiers, particularly women, faced extensive harassment within the ranks.
The first comprehensive study of its kind into the Bundeswehr, conducted by the Centre for Military History and Social Sciences in Potsdam and released this week, comes as the military is trying to attract new recruits in response to global threats.
It found that more than 60% of female soldiers had reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment or abuse while on duty, ranging from sexually explicit remarks and degrading rituals to sexual violence.
Nearly 40% of the 4,000 women who responded to the survey said they had been addressed with suggestive comments and sexualised remarks, while 15% reported being harassed with mobile phone pictures taken against their will and in some cases altered using AI.
Just over 8% reported having been physically attacked, and 2% said they had been the victims of sexual violence.
Around 19% of male soldiers had experienced a similar form of sexual misconduct, with non-binary or gay soldiers disproportionately affected, the study found.
