Harassment shakes the image of the German army and embarrasses Defense Minister Pistorius

A study based on an anonymous survey, ordered by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, revealed the extent of harassment and inappropriate sexual behavior within the ranks of the German army. Its results, some of which contain serious indicators, showed that the matter is not related to individual cases, but rather a problem rooted in the military institution.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius faces an uncomfortable deadline on Wednesday (November 11, 2026). With the start of the Defense Committee meeting in the German Parliament, he intends to present the results of what is known as the “study of unobserved phenomena” to the members of the committee concerned with defense affairs.

The study, which the German newspaper "Bild" described as a "study of shame," was based on an electronic survey that concealed the identity of its participants, which included 41 questions directed to male and female soldiers, with the aim of revealing the extent of the prevalence of inappropriate sexual behavior within the German army barracks, starting from sexually suggestive comments to physical harassment. The discussion of this item is scheduled to take a full hour behind closed doors, before Pistorius presents the results to public opinion.

More than 60% of female soldiers have been subjected to harassment

According to information from Der Spiegel magazine, the results of the study, which the former Commissioner for Armed Forces Affairs in the German Parliament, Eva Hügel, insisted on conducting before the end of her term in 2025, are shocking. The atmosphere inside the ministry indicates that the numbers displeased the minister himself, after he reviewed them in detail for the first time yesterday, Tuesday. More than 60 percent of the more than four thousand female soldiers who participated in the survey, prepared by the Potsdam Center for Military History and Social Sciences, reported that they had been exposed to sexual harassment during their service in the army.

The researchers classified forms of harassment into four categories. The first category included comments and expressions of a sexual nature and inappropriate suggestions. About 40 percent of the participants said that they had been exposed to such practices within the German army. While another 15 percent reported being harassed through photos taken of them without their consent or modified using artificial intelligence techniques. More than eight percent also reported being subjected to physical attacks, while two percent reported being exposed to explicit sexual violence.

These numbers reveal a very serious problem that Pistorius cannot ignore when presenting the results of the study on Wednesday. At a time when the German army is seeking to expand its ranks, and when it needs more than ever to attract young people to join the military service, the image of an institution in which sexual harassment is widespread to the point of becoming a normal occurrence is a severe blow to recruitment efforts.

Pistorius faces the test of turning promises into actions

Therefore, the Minister intends to announce an action plan to confront these violations, in conjunction with publishing the results of the study that was completed weeks ago, but which remained secret throughout that period. So far, Pistorius has contented himself with emphasizing that his position on inappropriate sexual behavior is based on the principle of zero tolerance. Now, he must prove that these statements will translate into actual actions.

The researchers believe that the study provides a largely representative picture of the conditions within the army, as invitations to participate in it were sent to about 25,000 male and female soldiers. Although the percentage of those who responded to the questionnaire did not exceed slightly more than 17 percent, among the current and former military personnel included in the invitation, the survey provides, according to scientific standards, a fairly clear picture of the reality of the conditions inside the military barracks, from the city of Kiel in the north to the state of Bavaria in the south.

Within the past few days, circles in the army have confirmed that the study provides clear evidence that cases of inappropriate sexual behavior are not just isolated, individual incidents. It seems that Pistorius himself has come to realize that the problem is deeper than that, and that it is rooted in the structure of the military institution.

The implications of the study are not limited to the shocking testimonies regarding abuses, but it also represents a warning bell to the leadership of the German army, from company commanders to three-star generals. More than a third of male and female soldiers reported that they did not report cases of harassment and inappropriate sexual behavior, or that they would not do so in the future, due to their lack of trust in their superiors, or their doubts about their seriousness and willingness to investigate such incidents.

In response, proposals are being studied that would allow male and female soldiers to report abuse and harassment without revealing their identities.

A periodic study to monitor the extent of the phenomenon

Part of the idea of establishing a new body to receive complaints has already begun to be implemented. In a quick move, the Inspector General of the German Army, Carsten Breuer, at the end of October established a hotline codenamed “Help” (HELP), through which victims of sexual harassment can contact for advice and support.

Political forces, led by the Green Party, have long called for the establishment of an independent body outside the military institution that would allow male and female soldiers to report abuses. However, the armed forces and internal investigators view this proposal with reservations, as they believe that assigning responsibility for investigating violations and holding perpetrators accountable to a party outside the chain of command may threaten discipline and military order within the German army.

Aside from the hotline, the Ministry of Defense, led by Pistorius, has prepared a wide package of measures to confront these abuses. According to Der Spiegel's information, plans include including the way military commanders handle investigations into inappropriate sexual behavior in their job performance evaluations.

The Ministry also intends to significantly strengthen the “internal leadership” system in the army, according to informed sources. It is planned, for example, to include awareness of the dangers of inappropriate sexual behavior in mandatory training programs, starting with conscripts performing military service and ending with officers who have spent many years in service.

Pistorius does not want to be satisfied with receiving general reports on the progress made in this file, but rather intends to re-conduct the study soon, and it will be repeated after that on a regular basis.

This decision carries a political risk for the minister. Just as the German Army's operational readiness reports previously revealed shortcomings in its capabilities, the second edition of the study may show that it has made little progress in combating harassment and inappropriate sexual behavior within the ranks of the armed forces.

On the other hand, Pistorius's willingness to conduct a new study soon, and once again obtain a realistic and unfiltered picture of conditions within the army, may constitute evidence of his seriousness in implementing his pledge of zero tolerance for sexual harassment in the ranks of the armed forces.