“He put his saliva-soaked finger in my ear and asked me if I enjoyed it, and if I wanted to repeat such an act in other places on my body.” This is how female soldier Sina F. describes her. She was extremely terrified that she was exposed to sexual harassment by a colleague of a higher rank than her, as reported by the public German news website “Tagesschau”, citing the German Channel 1 (ARD).
But the 19-year-old woman was not transferred from her place of service until months later. Throughout this period, she suffered from bullying from her colleagues. They would kick in her door at night, call her a “reporting whore,” and threaten her, as she put it.
Expert: Several shortcomings
Karen Hagemann, co-founder of the international research center “Military, War, and Gender/Diversity” (MKGD) based in Potsdam near Berlin, criticizes the presence of many shortcomings in the German armed forces’ handling of sexual harassment. Karen Hagman calls for "a clear leadership position, clear training for individuals on the issue, dedicated reporting channels, and policies aimed not at discrediting victims but at punishing perpetrators."
"Reluctance to report"
Reports of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces over the years have confirmed an underreporting of sexual harassment faced by female soldiers.
“This is a deep-rooted problem: there is a reluctance to report,” confirms Laura Kleinbrecht, a lawyer specializing in military law. She attributes this to fear of any "consequences" on the reporter's career.
In 2025, the number of reporting cases increased to 472 reports, up from 413 the previous year.
“The failure of integrating women into the German army”
Military historian and expert on military affairs in Germany, Sönke Neitzel, believes that "the integration of women into the German army has failed." The military historian notes that women are viewed by “some as a destabilizing element in a male-dominated environment.”
A quarter century ago, all military career paths were opened to women, but they still constitute a minority of no more than 13.6 percent.
Major Nora Zimet, herself a victim of sexual assault, calls for a change in mentality within the armed forces: "I think the number of women affected is much greater than we think. As long as we do not work to remove the stigma of sexual harassment in the German army, nothing will change."
A spokesman for the German Defense Ministry and one of its senior officials, Admiral Tobias Abre, says: “We must study whether the current structures are sufficient to implement a zero-tolerance policy, give priority to protecting victims, and providing a safe environment for those affected.”
The German Armed Forces seeks to increase the percentage of women in its ranks to 20 percent. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said: “In light of global threats, we need armed forces of which women are an integral part.”
