Study shows extent of sexual harassment in the Bundeswehr – Pistorius announces “zero tolerance”.

According to a new study, sexual harassment in the Bundeswehr is even more widespread than previously known. 38 percent of female soldiers and 16 percent of male soldiers experienced verbal sexualized misconduct in the twelve months prior to a survey. Physical sexualized misconduct was reported by 9 and 3 percent, respectively.

Two percent of soldiers suffered sexual violence. This emerges from a so-called dark field study that the Ministry of Defense presented to the Defense Committee on Wednesday. Accordingly, based on their entire period of service, 72 percent of female soldiers and 31 percent of male soldiers stated that they had been verbally harassed at least once, as the Ministry of Defense announced.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) announced consistent action against sexual harassment and sexualized violence in the troops. "There is zero tolerance for sexualized misconduct in the Bundeswehr. Zero tolerance is the line," he said after the committee meeting in Berlin. Pistorius also presented an action plan.

"It's about nothing less than respect for human dignity as stipulated in our Basic Law, and of course this applies all the more in the Bundeswehr. It is non-negotiable and it is at the center of internal leadership," said the minister.

Pistorius said the analysis had revealed “unpleasant truths”. Nevertheless, the study was necessary. "Politics begins with looking at reality. I can only take effective measures if I acknowledge and acknowledge reality." This is the first comprehensive investigation of its kind in the Bundeswehr. The Bundeswehr's Center for Military History and Social Sciences wrote to around 45,000 soldiers, 18 percent of whom responded. According to the information, the data is scientifically representative.

Greens demand external reporting office

Before the meeting, the Greens had already called for an external reporting center for sexual misconduct. A lot is being done in the areas of prevention, training and further education, and there are now “more offers for victims to deal with it,” said the defense policy spokeswoman for the Green parliamentary group, Sara Nanni, in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin”. What is not regulated, however, is “the question of how can I actually deter perpetrators?”

This would only be possible if perpetrators knew that the victim could contact an external reporting center “that is outside the office” and thus obtain justice. “And this measure is missing,” said Nanni. “I think that we as Parliament will continue to put pressure on such an external reporting agency to be part of the response to the cases of the last few months.”

Nanni, who is a member of the Defense Committee, praised the Bundeswehr's fundamental approach to the problem with the study. But that could only be the beginning. The Green politician complained that the low proportion of women in the force was also “the result of these experiences” described in the study.