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An army soldier who sexually assaulted a female colleague dodged jail time, walking free with only a suspended sentence and a fine. The army recruit, from Switzerland, has been convicted of sexual coercion, serious traffic violations, and insubordination. The disgraced Swiss army soldier has been found guilty by a military court of sexual coercion , serious traffic violations, and insubordination. A Swiss court subsequently sentenced him to a one-year of suspended prison term and a suspended financial penalty. The aggressor must also pay the victim 1,000 Swiss francs (around £870) in moral damages, according to CH Media newspapers. The incident reportedly occurred in winter 2023 at a logistics centre in the canton of Fribourg. As per Swiss media 20 Minutes, both the perpetrator and the victim were about 20-years-old at the time. Their identities have not been made public. According to reports, the female soldier and the now-convicted man were driving partners. The court found that while the situation initially began consensually, it escalated into sexual coercion. The victim stated that during a drive, she lowered her trousers, after which her aggressor performed a sex act while driving. He then allegedly demanded oral sex and filmed her. When she tried to resist, he reportedly held her head down and only let go after about 30 seconds. Despite promising not to, the man reportedly shared the video in a group chat for drivers. The incident came to light after a superior reported it. The convicted man denied the allegations, claiming the woman had a "provocative attitude," but the court dismissed his account. Furthermore, the military court considered the victim's testimony credible. The court also clarified that the state bears no responsibility for the criminal's actions, as the assault did not occur during official service duties. As for the victim, she is now serving as a sergeant, while the convicted man remains a soldier. Sexual assault and other forms of crime remain significant concerns within the military, including in the UK. In 2021, a landmark inquiry by the Defence Committee found that the UK Ministry of Defence was failing to adequately protect female personnel, who face higher rates of bullying, harassment, discrimination, and sexual assault compared to their male colleagues. Despite nearly 90% of servicewomen recommending a military career, the majority reported experiencing or witnessing unacceptable behaviour, and most lacked confidence in the complaints system. The report highlighted serious shortcomings in the handling of sexual offences, inadequate equipment and support for women, and slow progress on recruitment and veteran care. "Unfortunately, the stories we heard paint a difficult picture for women in the military," Sarah Atherton MP, Chair of the Sub-Committee on Women in the Armed Forces and female veteran said. She added: "Accounts of bullying, harassment, discrimination, 'laddish' behaviour, and sometimes serious sexual assault and rape. The Complaints system, as it stands, is woefully inadequate and leaves most feeling unable to come forward. "We also heard accusations of senior officers sweeping complaints under the rug to protect their own reputations and careers. While many commanding officers want to do the right thing, it is clear that, too often, female service personnel are being let down by the chain of command. "Sexual assault and rape are amongst the most serious offences committed against female service personnel and discussed in this report. It is difficult not to be moved by the stories of trauma, both emotional and physical, suffered by women at the hands of their colleagues. "A woman raped in the military often then has to live and work with the accused perpetrator, with fears that speaking out would damage her career prospects." For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters .
