The Center for Military History and Social Sciences of the Bundeswehr (ZMSBw) released today, Wednesday, the research report on the study “Sexualized Misconduct in the Armed Forces,” a so-called dark-field study. According to the Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg), this is the first study to examine this field in the history of the Bundeswehr and a previously unique investigation in a public authority of this size in Germany. It states that the extent of sexualized misconduct perceived by female and male service members in the Bundeswehr far exceeds the officially reported figures (“bright field”).
In the representative study, clear indications regarding the groups of those affected and the perpetrators could also be derived. Moreover, the question of why perceived sexualized misconduct is not reported was comprehensively examined. From the scientific analysis, as part of an action plan, concrete measures to strengthen the protection of those affected, to improve prevention, as well as for investigations and sanctions were derived, which would now be implemented, in addition to other measures already underway.
This comprehensive scientific investigation was initiated even though it was foreseeable in advance that the results could be unwelcome. For only when the facts and contexts are known candidly can proper action be taken, according to the BMVg. The complete research report on the ZMSBw study as well as the action plan would be published immediately. The BMVg and the Bundeswehr stressed their transparency in dealing with this topic, which is so important for organizational values and the readiness of the forces to operate.
Details of the dark-field study
For the ZMSBw study, around 45,000 female and male service members from all ranks were contacted. The response rate stood at about 18 percent, so more than 8,100 questionnaires were evaluated. The scientific analysis was complemented by over 60 individual and group interviews. The survey data are demographically representative for the Bundeswehr’s service members. Four forms of sexualized misconduct were recorded: verbal, visual, physical, and sexualized violence.
Verbal sexualized misconduct is not a criminal offense in the strict sense, but it is disciplinarily sanctioned within the Bundeswehr. Two central research questions drove the study: How common is sexualized misconduct in the Bundeswehr, and who is affected? And how are sexualized incidents, for instance in reporting procedures or reporting channels, handled? Regarding the first question, the key findings are:
- Women are significantly more affected than men across all forms of sexualized misconduct.
- Verbal harassment constitutes the highest incidence across the entirety of service.
- Across the entire career, 72 percent of female service members and 31 percent of male service members report having been verbally harassed at least once.
- In the twelve months prior to the survey, 38 percent of female service members and 16 percent of male service members experienced verbal sexualized misconduct, seven percent of female service members and five percent of male service members experienced visual misconduct, nine percent of female service members and three percent of male service members experienced physical sexualized misconduct. Sexual violence was suffered by two percent of both female and male service members.
- Particularly affected are younger women in the lower ranks (enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers without the Portepee). Among men, non-heterosexual men are disproportionately affected.
- Women in units with a higher proportion of women (over 15 percent, for example in the medical service) are less frequently affected. Members of seagoing units, by contrast, are affected at above-average rates.
- Combat troops show no statistical differences in sexualized misconduct compared with the rest of the armed forces.
- Perpetrators are mostly men, both in cases of sexualized misconduct against women and against men.
Insights into reporting behavior
The dark-field prevalence depends on the type of sexualized misconduct and is between three and six times larger than the reporting volume. The more serious the incident, the higher the willingness to report. In cases of sexual violence, female service members report more often, in about one in three cases. By contrast, only every fifth case of verbal misconduct or every sixth case of visual misconduct by female and male service members is reported.
The reasons for not reporting are varied. The most frequently cited reason by those affected is that they do not want to make a fuss in their personal and military environment.
The second most common reason is a lack of trust in the reporting system, in military structures, and in the military environment. Contrary to widespread assumptions, direct social pressure from comrades and from superiors after reporting or during the investigation is only rarely cited as a reason. Incidents are more likely to be reported when the accused is a supervisor. The other key findings on reporting incidence are:
- Women report unwanted sexual touching and acts affecting sexual self-determination more often than men.
- Reporting procedures are sometimes viewed as burdensome and ineffective. Additional interviews with office holders also point to social burdens for those affected.
- A well-functioning reporting process is confirmed by only 28 to 45 percent of respondents.
- Between 33 and 46 percent of female and male service members feel poorly informed about how their report is handled.
- Between 44 and 63 percent of respondents say their supervisor handled their report appropriately.
- Despite the partly ambivalent overall assessment, between 67 and 81 percent of respondents would report the respective incident again.
- Moreover, only about half of those surveyed (49 percent) know about existing counseling centers. If they have participated in training or coaching on the topic, these are largely rated positively (62 to 66 percent).
Implications for the development of measures
The dark-field study now provides, for the first time, an empirical foundation for scientifically derived measures. The core conclusions for these measures are:
- The protection of those affected, trustworthy reporting channels, and the reliable processing of reported cases must be strengthened. It is particularly important that those affected and reporters are protected from disadvantages, pressure, and exclusion, and receive support and continuous accompaniment. Likewise, those responsible for clarifying and sanctioning must be professionalized. In addition, contact points and reporting channels must be known, and trust in them must be strengthened.
- Prevention must be targeted to specific groups and life conditions. Sexualized misconduct must be addressed preventively and sustainably before it occurs. This includes a service-life-long training and awareness-raising—from the first week, in an understandable, practical, and recurring manner.
- Leadership responsibility and everyday handling must be improved. Supervisors must address boundary-crossing and its normalization at an early stage, lead by example, intervene reliably, and apply uniform standards. As a result, all service members must recognize, address, and interrupt misconduct.
- The internal reporting system on sexualized misconduct must become more meaningful and continuously improved. This includes systematically using insights from surveys, casework, and evaluations. The dark-field study was therefore only the beginning of a continuous scientific and troop-service analysis.
Action plan for the prevention of and handling of sexualized misconduct
Building on the findings available before the study from the Bundeswehr’s reporting systems and the so-called Internal Situation, and accompanying the results of the ZMSBw study, the BMVg announced an action plan with 34 concrete and subsequently evaluable measures. The measures are organized into the domains of protection and support, prevention, as well as investigations and sanctions. The plan aims to provide all members of the Bundeswehr—military and civilian, with and without leadership responsibilities—with practical guidance and to improve collegial relations.
Responsible for implementation are the Ministry of Defense, the Inspectors General, and the leaderships of the sub-branches and organizational areas. They will report to the Minister of Defense every six months on the progress achieved in implementing the measures of this plan and where improvements are still needed. An example of a measure is the creation of a counseling center for assistance, initial counseling, navigation support, and prevention help (HELP).
This HELP counseling center was established on 1 November 2026 at the Center for Internal Leadership. It offers support for those affected by sexual misconduct and their relatives. The counseling center is initially accessible seven days a week at the phone numbers 0261/5794205546 and 0800/5432100. Counseling will be expanded as quickly as possible to a 24/7 service.
The focus of the new offering is the personal accompaniment of those affected by sexual misconduct and their relatives. The counselors assess the individual situation, stabilize it, and facilitate connections to necessary specialist services. The counseling center was deliberately positioned outside the troop-service hierarchy. This enables it to operate independently and confidentially. At the same time, it is connected with existing help and support services of the Bundeswehr.
Additional measures of the action plan
Further individual measures were consolidated by the BMVg for clarity and, in some cases, presented in an abstracted form. Details can be seen in the publicly available action plan:
- Psychosocial support for those affected during investigative proceedings
- Strengthening the social-service offerings to accompany those affected, among other things through internal competence teams in the Bundeswehr’s social service
- Preparation and sensitization of superiors (“Chefsache”)
- How sexualized misconduct is handled is taken into account in personnel selection and in the evaluation of superiors
- Sexualized misconduct becomes a recurring topic in training, at all levels, from the very beginning of a service member’s career
- Improvement of the documentation and evaluation of sexualized misconduct
- Support for superiors in conducting investigations through professional tools such as checklists, guidelines, and handbooks
- Specialization and professionalization of military disciplinary attorneys and the establishment of an investigative group of specially trained military disciplinary attorneys for cases of sexual misconduct, including on-site personnel and expert support
- Strengthening and expanding the information rights of those affected through an amendment to the Military Disciplinary Code.
All members of the Bundeswehr are, according to the BMVg, additionally obliged to contribute their own part and to clearly and at all times oppose sexual misconduct.
