Australian Military Faces Landmark Class Action Over Alleged Sexual Violence and Cover-Ups

A group of current and former female soldiers has launched a class action lawsuit against the Australian Defence Force (ADF), alleging decades of systemic sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination across the army, navy, and air force.
The case, filed in the Federal Court in Sydney on Friday, accuses the ADF of fostering a toxic culture of sexual violence and perpetuating a pattern of institutional cover-ups. Legal experts have already described the proceedings as a potential landmark in Australia’s military and legal history.
The lawsuit is being led by Brisbane-based firm JGA Saddler, which expects thousands of women to join the action. It covers anyone who served in the ADF between November 2003 and May 2025, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Four unnamed lead plaintiffs, representing different branches of the armed forces, are fronting the case.
“These women are in an unsafe workplace — one rife with sexual violence, assault, and discrimination,” said Joshua Aylward, principal lawyer at JGA Saddler. “For many female ADF personnel, the biggest threat to their safety isn’t war — it’s sexual violence within their own ranks.”
One former navy officer, who served for 13 years, recounted enduring months of harassment from a superior who ultimately threatened her, saying: “We take women out the back and rape women like you, so that you follow the rules.”
Another survivor, now the head of a victims’ advocacy group, described a pervasive culture of silence and shame. “It was like the shame was on you. Everything was kept quiet — hush hush. Nobody talked about it,” she said, adding that sexual assault affected women “of all ages and ranks.”
In response, the Australian Army issued a statement affirming that all Defence personnel “have a right to be respected and deserve to have a positive workplace experience” within the ADF.
The class action is expected to test the military’s accountability mechanisms and could open the door to one of the largest institutional abuse settlements in Australian history.