Bundeswehr study: 72% of women soldiers report verbal harassment; Pistorius vows zero tolerance

The survey results

The defence ministry presented a so-called Dunkelfeldstudie, a survey of unreported cases, to the Bundestag's defence committee on Wednesday, 11 November. Over their whole service, 72% of women soldiers and 31% of men said they had been verbally harassed at least once, figures the ministry released after the session in Berlin. According to the study, 2% of women soldiers and 2% of men had suffered sexualised violence. The survey was run by the Potsdam-based Zentrum für Militärgeschichte und Sozialwissenschaften, which Pistorius described as the first nationwide study of its kind in the Bundeswehr. Sources differ on how many people were approached: Die Welt reports about 45,000 soldiers, while Der Tagesspiegel reports about 25,000 active and former soldiers. Both put the response rate at about 18%, and Pistorius said science regards the data as representative.

Verbal and physical harassment

In the 12 months before the survey, 38% of women soldiers and 16% of men reported verbal sexualised misconduct. Visual misconduct was reported by 7% of women and 5% of men, and physical sexualised misconduct by 9% of women and 3% of men.

Women, whole service72%

Men, whole service31%

Women, last 12 months38%

Men, last 12 months16%

Women, whole service

72 %

Men, whole service

31 %

Women, last 12 months

38 %

Men, last 12 months

16 %

Data from the article text

Der Tagesspiegel reports that Pistorius said the figures clearly exceed the number of known reports. Young women in lower ranks are most often affected, and the perpetrators are overwhelmingly male. Combat units do not differ statistically from the rest of the force, but the navy is disproportionately affected, which the minister attributed to people living in close quarters for long periods.

Verbal, women38%

Verbal, men16%

Visual, women7%

Visual, men5%

Physical, women9%

Physical, men3%

Verbal, women

38 %

Verbal, men

16 %

Visual, women

7 %

Visual, men

5 %

Physical, women

9 %

Physical, men

3 %

Data from the article text

Why cases go unreported

Pistorius said many of those affected did not want to draw attention to themselves. He added that soldiers lack knowledge of reporting channels or trust in them. Direct social pressure from comrades and superiors also plays a role, according to the minister.

Government response

Pistorius announced a consistent crackdown on sexual harassment and sexualised violence in the ranks, and presented an action plan after the session. He told reporters in Berlin:

“There is zero tolerance for sexualised misconduct in the Bundeswehr. Zero tolerance is the line.”

The plan focuses mainly on expanding support offers for those affected and strengthening prevention. Pistorius said the analysis had uncovered unwelcome truths, but that the study was necessary to act on them.

“Politics begins with looking at reality. I can only take effective measures if I acknowledge reality.”

Greens' demand and the Weißenfels case

Before the session, Sara Nanni, the Greens' security policy spokesperson, called for an external reporting office outside the units, so that affected soldiers would not have to report only to their superiors. She made the case on ZDF Morgenmagazin:

“I think hardly any women can get through a week without hearing a remark that is also a form of sexualised verbal violence.”

Nanni said victims find it harder to act after an incident because of the close community in the unit, and she does not expect the results to deter women from joining. Separately, allegations at the Sanitätsregiment 1 in Weißenfels, Saxony-Anhalt, have drawn attention. Media reports cite suspected drug trafficking, threats and sexual misconduct by superiors. The Bundeswehr says the allegations involve ten people and that five cases have been passed to the public prosecutor's office. Pistorius promised to clarify the matter.