Germany's defence chief vows zero tolerance as 60% of female soldiers report abuse

Germany's first comprehensive study into abuse in the military landed this week, and the numbers are grim. Conducted by the Centre for Military History and Social Sciences in Potsdam, it found more than 60% of female soldiers reported some form of sexual harassment or abuse while on duty. That covers everything from sexually explicit remarks and degrading rituals to sexual violence.

Of the 4,000 women who answered the survey, nearly 40% said they had been targeted with suggestive comments and sexualised remarks. Another 15% reported harassment via mobile phone pictures taken against their will, in some cases altered with AI. Just over 8% said they had been physically attacked, and 2% reported being victims of sexual violence.

It isn't only women. Around 19% of male soldiers reported similar misconduct, and the study found non-binary and gay soldiers were disproportionately affected. Roughly a third of those surveyed said they did not or would not report incidents, citing a lack of trust in what their superiors would do.

Defence minister Boris Pistorius called the figures unacceptable, especially for a military trying to grow fast. The Bundeswehr has poured billions into personnel and equipment, chasing a target of 260,000 active-duty troops and 200,000 reservists by 2035 to avoid bringing back conscription. He said he was struck that women in units with more female colleagues were less often affected, which he said argues for recruiting more women.

Pistorius said colleagues had urged him to bury the study over reputational fears. Dropping it, he said, would be turning a blind eye and would hurt the Bundeswehr more in the long run. The study will now be repeated every year.

This month Pistorius set up HELP, a hotline for military personnel staffed around the clock, and said complainants should get more information about the status of their proceedings after victims complained of being left in the dark. The ministry said 45,000 active or former members were contacted, with 18% responding, and that its analysis showed the results were still representative.