Study of German military: over 60% of women have experienced sexual harassment or abuse

More than 60% of women in the German military have experienced sexual harassment or abuse while serving, according to a study of the Bundeswehr.

It is the first comprehensive study of the issue in the Bundeswehr. Conducted by the Center for Military History and Social Sciences in Potsdam, it documents incidents ranging from sexual comments and demeaning behavior to physical assaults and sexual violence.

Among the roughly 4,000 women who took part in the survey, nearly 40% said they had heard suggestive comments and sexually explicit remarks. Another 15% reported harassment involving photographs taken with mobile phones without their consent; in some cases, the photographs had also been manipulated using artificial intelligence.

Just over 8% of the women surveyed said they had experienced physical assaults, while 2% said they had been victims of sexual violence.

About 19% of male soldiers have also experienced similar inappropriate sexual behavior. The study also shows that gay soldiers and nonbinary people are disproportionately affected.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called the findings “unacceptable” and pledged zero tolerance for any inappropriate behavior, along with stronger measures to protect personnel.

He singled out as particularly troubling the lack of confidence many victims have in reporting mechanisms. About a third of respondents said they had not reported incidents, or would not do so, because they doubted their superiors would take concrete action.

To make reporting easier, the ministry has set up the HELP hotline to support service members facing harassment or abuse. Pistorius also pledged that victims would receive more information about the progress of investigations and disciplinary proceedings.

The minister announced that the study would be conducted every year. He rejected suggestions from some colleagues that the results should not be made public for fear of damaging the military’s image.

The findings come as Germany seeks to significantly expand its armed forces. The Bundeswehr aims to have 260,000 active-duty soldiers and 200,000 reservists by 2035, alongside billions of euros in investment in personnel and military equipment.

According to Pistorius, women in units with a higher proportion of female personnel experience harassment less often. For the minister, this reinforces the need to recruit more women into the military.

For the study, 45,000 current and former members of the armed forces were contacted. About 18% of them responded to the survey.