Understanding the Issue of Army Harassment

Army harassment, Ukraine Minister — _{Image Credit: AFP}

Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister, Hanna Maliar, urges female soldiers in the nation’s military to come forward if they have experienced sexual harassment from senior officers. Maliar vows to assist in penalizing credible accusations of sexual misconduct by commanders in the Ukrainian army. A 27-year-old female soldier disclosed to The Guardian her ordeal of sexual harassment by a senior military officer.

Maliar encourages all victims to reach out to her directly. A whistleblower revealed that a unit commander coerced female soldiers into having sexual relations or risked their husbands being sent to combat zones. Maliar pledges to investigate claims that women were threatened with psychiatric confinement for reporting harassment and asserts that she will personally involve the police.

The platoon sergeant, who initially raised the allegations, explains she left her brigade due to harassment by a high-ranking official. She says other women, including her subordinates, were subjected to the same treatment. Maliar vows protection for these soldiers and urges all women in the military to submit statements for police action.

Maliar emphasizes her commitment to ending such unacceptable behavior, stating she will ensure the police thoroughly investigate. The soldier who initially spoke out expresses willingness to communicate with the Ukraine Minister. Currently, approximately 60,000 women serve in the Ukrainian military, with 42,000 as soldiers and 5,000 actively engaged on the frontlines.
Re-reported from the article published in WION