According to a study presented on 11 November 2026, sexual misconduct is far more widespread in the German Armed Forces than official reporting figures suggest. The study surveyed service personnel about their experiences. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced an action plan to improve protection for those affected and hold superiors more accountable.
Asked about their entire period of service, 72 per cent of the women and 31 per cent of the men surveyed said they had experienced verbal harassment at least once. For the 12 months before the survey, the figures were 38 and 16 per cent respectively. In that period, nine per cent of women and three per cent of men said they had experienced physical sexual misconduct. Two per cent in each group reported sexual violence.
The study distinguishes between verbal, visual and physical forms of misconduct, as well as sexual violence. The figures for the entire period of service and for the preceding 12 months are therefore not directly comparable, nor are the different categories of misconduct. According to the study, younger women in lower ranks and non-heterosexual men were particularly affected. The perpetrators were predominantly men.
The survey of unreported cases on Bundeswehr Centre for Military History and Social Scienceswas carried out by the Centre. It contacted around 45,000 service personnel and analysed more than 8,100 questionnaires, a response rate of about 18 per cent. More than 60 individual and group interviews were also conducted. According to the Defence Ministry, the survey data are representative of Bundeswehr personnel in terms of sociodemographic characteristics.
The findings also shed light on why incidents go unreported. The most common reason given by those affected was that they did not want to draw attention to themselves in their personal and military circles. A lack of trust in reporting channels and military structures was another factor. The study found that only a proportion of incidents were reported, depending on their nature; willingness to report was higher in more serious cases.
The action plan presented by Pistorius comprises 34 measures. These include additional support for those affected, greater awareness among superiors and better recording of incidents. The handling of sexual misconduct is also to be taken into account when selecting and assessing leaders.
The HELP counselling service on Centre for Internal Leadership was set up on 1 November 2026. It supports those affected and their families and operates outside the military chain of command. Round-the-clock availability has been announced, but is not yet fully in place.
The survey thus provides a broader basis than reporting statistics alone. It remains to be seen whether the announced measures will increase trust in the procedures and reduce misconduct. Pistorius said the study would be repeated to assess their impact.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).