Germany Sets Military Misconduct Measures After Survey

Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced an action plan to address sexual misconduct in the armed forces after a military survey found that such experiences were widespread among service personnel, particularly women. The measures focus on prevention, reporting and investigations, support for affected personnel, and consequences for commanders who tolerate misconduct or handle cases inconsistently.

The survey was conducted by the Bundeswehr’s Centre of Military History and Social Sciences. Pistorius said 38% of women reported verbal sexual harassment and 10% physical sexual harassment. He also said young women in lower ranks were particularly affected, while nonheterosexual men experienced higher rates of harassment. The survey’s categories and time periods matter: other reported findings describe broader forms of sexual misconduct over the previous 12 months, so the figures do not represent one directly comparable overall rate.

In that broader measure, the Centre found that 40% of female soldiers and about 19% of male soldiers had experienced at least one episode of sexual misconduct in the previous 12 months. The reported conduct ranged from sexualised remarks and...