Bombshell Lawsuit Rocks Australian Defence Force: Thousands of Female Soldiers Allege Widespread Sexual Violence and Harassment
- Thousands of female soldiers to take on the Australian Defence Force in a landmark class action lawsuit
- Allegations of sexual violence, sexual harassment, physical abuse, rape, discrimination, and victimisation of female ADF members
- Disturbing incidents include being groped, forcibly kissed, and rubbed with a colleague’s erect penis while on duty
In a shocking and explosive lawsuit, thousands of female soldiers are set to take on the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in a landmark class action, alleging widespread sexual violence and harassment. The bombshell lawsuit, filed today in the Federal Court in Sydney, claims that female ADF members were subjected to systemic and ongoing abuse, including sexual misconduct, physical abuse, rape, discrimination, and victimisation.
The lawsuit is being led by class action law firm JGA Saddler and backed by global litigation funder Omni Bridgeway. Any woman who was a member of the ADF, including the Army, Navy, or Air Force, as well as training establishments like the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), between November 12, 2003, and May 25, 2025, is eligible to join the class action.
One of the alleged victims, Gemma, who served in the RAAF, recounted a harrowing incident where she was grabbed aggressively by a higher-ranked male colleague on the dance floor during an international deployment. “I managed to get away from him, but the experience left me shaken,” she said. Gemma also alleged that she was subjected to regular harassment, misogyny, and sexism while serving, which was normalised and part of the culture.
Another alleged victim claimed she was rubbed with a colleague’s erect penis while on duty, and when she made a complaint, she received hostile and disparaging messages from others. She was even denied requests to be transferred away from the branch and excluded from events that the alleged perpetrator was allowed to attend.
The ADF has acknowledged the reports of a potential class action and stated that there is no place for sexual violence or misconduct in Defence. However, lawyer Joshua Aylward from JGA Saddler blasted the ADF for the continued prevalence of sexual misconduct despite years of reviews and inquiries. “Cultural change takes enormous effort, and the government has been unwilling to make that commitment to change the culture,” he said.
The final report of the three-year Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide found that despite changes made by the ADF to combat the problem, the prevalence of sexual violence remained high. Defence’s own figures show that close to 800 sexual assaults have been reported in the ADF over the past five years, in the context of an estimated under-reporting rate of 60 per cent.
The damages sought in the lawsuit will be determined through expert evidence during the proceedings, but Aylward said the amount would be substantial and aimed at forcing the ADF to take the issue seriously and make necessary changes.
Free and confidential counselling support is available 24/7 for ADF members, veterans, and their families by phoning the Defence all-hours support line on 1800 628 036, Open Arms on 1800 011 046, or Safe Zone on 1800 142 072.