In France, a specialized task force is being formed by Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu to address sexual harassment within the military, as reported by Reuters.
Lecornu made this announcement in his article published in Le Monde, stating that the group, headed by the General Inspector of the Armed Forces and Gendarmerie, will assess disciplinary procedures and provide recommendations for commanders.
By the end of May, the task force will review preventive measures, victim support, and penalties for offenders, with its findings presented to parliament. Additionally, a former minister in France was recently sentenced to jail for sexual harassment.
Lecornu emphasized that soldiers should be protectors, not perpetrators, and that experiencing sexual violence or harassment, regardless of military status, qualifies as victimization. This initiative follows the Ministry of Defense’s response to media coverage of a former servicewoman’s ordeal, highlighting the prevalence of sexual violence within the French military.
Last year alone, the military received 226 reports of sexual violence or harassment, with women comprising over 16% of servicemembers. This underscores the urgency of addressing such issues within the armed forces.
