Germany’s defence ministry released a comprehensive study this week examining sexual harassment and abuse within the Bundeswehr, the country’s armed forces. Conducted by the Centre for Military History and Social Sciences in Potsdam, the research surveyed approximately 4,000 women and revealed extensive misconduct affecting service members, particularly females.
The study found that more than 60% of female respondents had experienced some form of sexual harassment or abuse during their military service. The incidents ranged from sexually explicit remarks and degrading rituals to more serious offences. Nearly 40% reported receiving suggestive comments and sexualized remarks, while 15% described harassment involving mobile phone pictures taken without consent, in some cases digitally altered using artificial intelligence technology. Approximately 8% reported physical attacks, and 2% said they had experienced sexual violence. The research also indicated that around 19% of male soldiers had encountered similar misconduct, with non-binary and gay service members facing disproportionate impacts.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius characterized the findings as unacceptable, particularly given the military’s current recruitment expansion efforts. The Bundeswehr is pursuing ambitious personnel growth targets, aiming to reach 260,000 active-duty troops and 200,000 reservists by 2035 in an effort to avoid implementing conscription. Pistorius noted that the data showing reduced harassment in units with higher percentages of female soldiers suggested that recruiting additional women could help address the problem.
In response to the study, Pistorius announced a zero-tolerance policy toward sexual harassment and established a 24-hour hotline called HELP for military personnel to report incidents. He acknowledged that many service members hesitated to report misconduct due to lack of trust in their superiors’ responses, with approximately one-third of survey respondents citing this concern. The ministry committed to providing better information to complainants about their case status and said the survey would be repeated annually to track progress.
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