German study reveals widespread sexual harassment of female soldiers

More than 60 percent of women serving in the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces, have experienced sexual misconduct ranging from lewd remarks to physical harassment. Euronews, TRT World, and Anadolu Ajansı all reported the findings of the new study on Wednesday. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, of the Social Democrats, presented the research. [1][2][3]

Euronews reported that the hidden-figure study reveals up to five times more cases than officially recorded. The survey was conducted anonymously online and contained 41 detailed questions designed to measure the true extent of unreported incidents in the armed forces. Euronews noted that more than half of all female soldiers in the Bundeswehr have experienced sexual misconduct. [1]

Sexual harassment in the military describes unwanted sexual behaviour experienced as threatening, offensive, or upsetting within a military setting. As FTMQ News reported earlier, studies in other countries have also examined sexual violence, including research showing that 26 percent of adults in Ireland have experienced sexual violence, with women affected at higher rates than men. [5][7]