One-in-six Israeli women soldiers 'experience sexual harassment'

One-in-six Israeli women soldiers say they have been sexually harassed during their military service, an internal Israel Defence Forces (IDF) survey has shown.

Women soldiers complained of being sexualised during service, as well as being subject to inappropriate touching. Some said they were victims of workplace discrimination after they refused the sexual advances of male colleagues.

According to the results for the 2016 survey, obtained by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, 60 percent of women soldiers and officers who took part in the questionnaire said the atmosphere in their units was overrun by the sexual tensions, imposed on them by their male counterparts.

They described soldiers or commanders frequently telling sexual jokes and stories, making offensive sexualised comments about them or sharing pornography.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents reported to have receiving hurtful sexual comments, while 35 percent said they were touched or subjected to sexual gestures.

Twelve percent said a colleague had exposed himself in an indecent way to make them feel uncomfortable and five percent said they were given rewards by colleagues in return for sex.

For those who refused sex with a male officer or soldier, three percent said they had been threatened or otherwise treated unfairly for refusing sex. One percent reported being the victim of a sexual assault or attempted assault.

The figure is believed to be much higher, with a growing number of women not having faith that the army will take their complaints seriously.