A landmark study presented to the Bundestag on 12 November 2026 shows sexual misconduct inside the Bundeswehr is far more pervasive than official statistics suggest. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius released findings from the first comprehensive survey of its kind in German military history, conducted by the Military History and Social Sciences Center.
Researchers surveyed 45,000 service members, collecting over 8,100 questionnaires and personal interviews. The data reveals a stark gap between experience and reporting: only one in three to one in six victims ever file a formal complaint. Fear of career damage and unwanted attention keeps most silent, the report notes.
Young female soldiers at lower ranks face the highest risk. Non-heterosexual male soldiers are also disproportionately targeted. Perpetrators are overwhelmingly male, according to the study.
The numbers are striking. Seventy-two percent of women and thirty-one percent of men reported experiencing verbal sexual misconduct during their service. Physical assault affected nine percent of women and three percent of men who participated.
Pistorius responded with a “zero tolerance” pledge. Officials who fail to uphold human dignity will be removed from leadership roles. The ministry will expand awareness of reporting channels, fund round-the-clock counseling centers, and make a commander’s handling of such complaints a core part of performance evaluations.
The findings arrive as Germany pushes to recruit more women into the armed forces, adding urgency to the reform effort.
