Key facts
- The military's Centre of Military History and Social Sciences found 40% of female soldiers experienced at least one episode of sexual misconduct in the past 12 months.
- Around 19% of male soldiers reported similar misconduct, with non-heterosexual soldiers disproportionately affected, the report showed.
- Pistorius said the true number of cases was likely three to five times the number officially reported.
- Pistorius promised easier reporting of abuse, tracking of action taken, more advice for those reporting and more responsibility for commanders.
- The report was based on survey questions sent to 45,000 serving personnel.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius promised new measures to combat sexual abuse in the military on November 11, after a report by the military's own Centre of Military History and Social Sciences showed widespread misconduct. "We are currently seeing a rise in the number of reported cases. This is unacceptable," Pistorius told reporters in Berlin.
The study found that 40% of female soldiers had experienced at least one episode of sexual misconduct in the past 12 months, ranging from verbal harassment and unwilling exposure to pornography to unwanted touching and, in 2% of cases, sexual violence. Around 19% of male soldiers reported similar misconduct, with non-heterosexual soldiers disproportionately affected.
Based on survey questions sent to 45,000 serving personnel, the report indicated that the actual number of abuse cases was likely far higher than those officially reported. Pistorius said the true figure was "three to five times as many cases as have actually been reported" and that young women in the lower ranks were particularly affected.
Pistorius said the study on unreported cases was "the starting point; it was the beginning, not the end of the matter." He promised measures to make reporting abuse easier and to track the action taken, more advice for those reporting abuse, and greater responsibility for commanders. "Anyone who fails to set an example, or who even tolerates misconduct or fails to deal with it consistently, will no longer hold a leadership position," he said.
The findings come as Germany seeks to build up its military into the most powerful in Europe after decades of underinvestment. Last year the government approved plans for voluntary military service aimed at doubling trained reservists to around 200,000, alongside a target of at least 260,000 active-duty soldiers.