Bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination are rife in the Defence Forces, a study found today.
Nearly a third of women in the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) have suffered sexual harassment during service, with the complaints still ongoing.
And the study warned that servicemen and women were leaving the defence forces under the strain of abuse and harassment, usually coming from more senior members.
More than 10 per cent of the 10,745 soldiers, sailors and air corps members were surveyed by the External Advisory Committee on the Defence Forces. In addition every servicewoman was questioned.
The report said: "The survey shows that there are unacceptable levels of harassment, bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment in the PDF and individuals have suffered and continue to be victimised by hostile workplace behaviour.
"The continuing exodus from the PDF cannot simply be explained away by the fact that individuals had acquired market place skills or that the pay was bad - there are other factors."
It added: "The culture of the PDF has to change if recruitment and retention problems are to turn around."
The survey found that 35 per cent of females and 27 per cent of males experienced harassment in the PDF, with 21 per cent of women suffering during the last six months.
Some 26 per cent of members said they had suffered bullying, as distinct from harassment, mostly during training.
But despite a complaints procedure, nearly 85 per cent of both men and women did not report being bullied.
The report continued: "The vast majority of the respondents did not report the incident. Of those who did it is interesting to note that rather more were unhappy with the outcome than had the complaints resolved to their satisfaction."
Most victims of harassment and bullying were targeted by senior members, and almost exclusively by men, the report found.
It added that more than half of those who had been harassed found the situation to be "worse or much worse than other stressful incidents in their lives".
Nearly a third of Ireland's 453 servicewomen reported being sexually harassed in the PDF - and two fifths of the complaints were "still continuing".
Most complained about sexist remarks or jokes, again with the majority of problems during training.
Of the women who suffered sexual harassment, nearly 23 per cent complained of "unwanted physical contact" and a fifth were subject to the "display or circulation of pornography".
In addition, 41 per cent of women but just 9 per cent of men felt they had been discriminated against due to their sex.
The report, called The Challenge of a Workplace, recommended that new policies be introduced encouraging better employee relations, and allowing complainants individual representation at special hearings.
At a press conference in Dublin following the publication of the study, the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, said a monitoring group, equality group and consultative group would now be set up to bring in the recommendations.
He also announced that a confidential telephone helpline would be launched tomorrow morning for servicemen and women.
He said: "The military environment is tough and challenging. However, there is absolutely nothing in military life which requires that any individual be singled out, victimised or subjected to abuse or bullying."
PA