Denmark: Women in the Army Facing Harassment 

Whether at the European or World level, Denmark is part of the best-placed countries regarding women’s rights, especially occupationally and financially speaking^[1]Gender Equality Index. (2022). Denmark. https://eige.europa.eu/gender-equality-index/2022/DK. Nevertheless, though innovative on the subject of women’s rights, Denmark is facing many deviant sexists and/or macho behaviours against women^[2]United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (February 2021). The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is examining the Danish report. … Continue reading because of a culture of consensus well established in Danish society. A great number of harassment and sexual abuse cases have come to light recently in its Army^[3]ALLAGUI, S. (Décembre 2022). In the Danish army, women face the issue of harassment. Figaro International. … Continue reading. How do these cases of harassment within the Danish army raise the drifts of the culture of consensus?

The Danish army, a hostile world for women facing harassment

For some years, the number of female recruits has significantly increased in the Danish army; women represented 2,6% of conscripts in 2004, 6,2% in 2012 and 9,2% in 2022^[4]ALLAGUI, S. (Août 2022). The Danish military women revolt against sexism and sexual abuse: “Being a woman has put me in a vulnerable position from the beginning”. La Libre. … Continue reading. Moreover, more than one application out of four for military service was female in 2021, within the three-army corps combined (land force, navy and air force)^[5]ALLAGUI, S. (Août 2022). The Danish military women revolt against sexism and sexual abuse: “Being a woman has put me in a vulnerable position from the beginning”. La Libre. … Continue reading. The same year, the female application for officer training represented up to 25% of applications^[6]ALLAGUI, S. (Août 2022). The Danish military women revolt against sexism and sexual abuse: “Being a woman has put me in a vulnerable position from the beginning”. La Libre. … Continue reading.

However, the Armed forces are struggling to have those newly recruited women stay in their ranks. They are indeed gradually leaving the forces because of the harassment they experience^[7]ALLAGUI, S. (Décembre 2022). In the Danish army, women face the issue of harassment. Figaro International. … Continue reading because of their gender, still considered the “weaker sex”. Kvindelige Veteraner, a Danish association created in 2017 for the defence and protection of the well-being of military women, has identified more than 200 reports of sexism, sexual abuse and offensive behaviour since its creation^[8]Women Veterans. (2020). Offensive Gender Behaviour in the Military: Examining How Leaders Manage Anti-Violence Initiatives and Create a Tone of Respectful Engagement. … Continue reading. Some of those testimonies, each more alarming than the last, alert on the urgency of the situation. Marie Sihm, the founder of this association, appeals to the Danish authorities by stating that “when female soldiers sleep with a knife under their pillow in the barracks, it is a sign they are afraid to be sexually assaulted^[9]« Quand des soldates dorment avec un couteau sous l’oreiller dans les casernes, c’est un signe qu’elles craignent d’être sexuellement agressées ». Women Veterans. (2020). Offensive … Continue reading [loose translation]”.

In addition, regarding some of its employees’ pregnancies, the Danish army has not established any policy nor issued recommendations about those military pregnant women to ensure good and healthy working conditions as stipulated in the Danish Labour Law^[10]SWAP, C. (2022). Juggling the risks: towards a safe and inclusive work environment for pregnant Danish soldiers. Women Veterans. … Continue reading. As a result, these women put their unborn child’s and their own health at risk to reconcile the requirements of a soldier with those of an expectant mother^[11]SWAP, C. (2022). Juggling the risks: towards a safe and inclusive work environment for pregnant Danish soldiers. Women Veterans. … Continue reading. Because of the prejudices they endure based on perceived gender boundaries, female soldiers prefer to keep their jobs without enjoying the “benefits” of their pregnancy^[12]SWAP, C. (2022). Juggling the risks: towards a safe and inclusive work environment for pregnant Danish soldiers. Women Veterans. … Continue reading. Indeed, the Centre for the Working Environment of the Danish Armed Forces has recently recommended the development of pregnancy policies^[13]SWAP, C. (2022). Juggling the risks: towards a safe and inclusive work environment for pregnant Danish soldiers. Women Veterans. … Continue reading in order to draw up a list of missions that a pregnant female soldier cannot fulfil to protect her baby’s and her own well-being.

These issues of harassment and sexual abuse in particular are accentuated by a military culture with deeply rooted patriarchal traditions^[14]Women Veterans. (2021). Woman, know your own defense. … Continue reading. Unsurprisingly, the Armed Forces are still a very masculine environment, in which female voices are hardly perceptible. The 500 years old Danish Army only officially opened its doors to women in 1962^[15]Women Veterans. (2021). Woman, know your own defense. … Continue reading, which might be an explanation for the strong presence of stigma towards them. Though the hierarchy does not encourage such behaviour, it also does not react to contain cases of harassment and/or sexual abuse of female soldiers notably by introducing strict sanctions^[16]Women Veterans. (2021). Woman, know your own defense. … Continue reading.

Besides, the roles and identities of women within the Armed Forces sorely lack visibility and inclusiveness^[17]Women Veterans. (2021). Woman, know your own defense. … Continue reading. For instance, the weak flexibility of the jobs and the absence of female representation in senior positions in the army are barriers to professional equality for female soldiers^[18]Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. (June 2016). Women in the armed forces: promoting equality, ending gender-based violence. Commission on Equality and Non-Discrimination. … Continue reading. The evolution of Danish customs towards a more diverse, tolerant and inclusive army for women is slow and difficult, and in no way made easier by the culture of consensus within society. Few specific training and/or awareness-raising campaigns against harassment and sexual violence have been set up for the time being.

A typical Danish “culture of consensus” leading to sexist abuse

According to sociologist Siri Jonina Eged, Danish women tend to prioritize the culture of consensus over that of offence. For fear of making waves, the Danish women trivialize and internalize abnormal sexist and/or macho behaviours. By equating feminism to extremism, because it a fortiori induces strong positions regarding women’s rights, Denmark is one of the less feminist developed countries^[19]ZAIZOUNE, S. (Mai 2019). Denmark, a country of equality… but not of feminism!. Madame Figaro. https://madame.lefigaro.fr/societe/le-danemark-pays-de-legalite-mais-pas-du-feminisme-130519-165071. Karen Ellemann, the former Minister for Equal Opportunity, claimed she did not consider herself a feminist when nominated in 2015^[20]ZAIZOUNE, S. (Mai 2019). Denmark, a country of equality… but not of feminism!. Madame Figaro. https://madame.lefigaro.fr/societe/le-danemark-pays-de-legalite-mais-pas-du-feminisme-130519-165071. In 2019, only one out of six Danes claimed themselves feminists, with only 25% of Danish women^[21]ZAIZOUNE, S. (Mai 2019). Denmark, a country of equality… but not of feminism!. Madame Figaro. https://madame.lefigaro.fr/societe/le-danemark-pays-de-legalite-mais-pas-du-feminisme-130519-165071. As a consequence, that same year, only 4% of men and 8% of women had a positive image of the Me Too movement, which was disapproved by one out of five Danes^[22]ZAIZOUNE, S. (Mai 2019). Denmark, a country of equality… but not of feminism!. Madame Figaro. https://madame.lefigaro.fr/societe/le-danemark-pays-de-legalite-mais-pas-du-feminisme-130519-165071.

This consensual society then leads to serious excesses, in which the Danish women justify daily actions deemed “well-intentioned”; which in some cases means they tolerate sexual harassment. In 2019 for instance, one-third of the Danish women considered it acceptable to be whistled in the street^[23]ZAIZOUNE, S. (Mai 2019). Denmark, a country of equality… but not of feminism!. Madame Figaro. https://madame.lefigaro.fr/societe/le-danemark-pays-de-legalite-mais-pas-du-feminisme-130519-165071. Moreover, according to the 2020 Everyday Sexism Project Denmark report, 52% of Danish women had already experienced physical and/or sexual abuse by one of their partners; the European Union average being 33%. It also showed that fewer and fewer Danish women are filing a complaint for domestic violence in intimate relationships^[24]MANTEUFEL, I. (2015). Sexism on the front page in Denmark. Women Alliance. https://www.womenalliance.org/fr/le-sexisme-a-la-une-au-danemark/. In reality, the issue of sexism remains the subject of resistance by society in Denmark^[25]MANTEUFEL, I. (2015). Sexism on the front page in Denmark. Women Alliance. https://www.womenalliance.org/fr/le-sexisme-a-la-une-au-danemark/.

Furthermore, the consensus culture ruling Danish society is slowing and undermining the country’s efforts to achieve perfect equality between men and women. The 2021 Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum ranked Denmark 29^th out of 258 nations for gender equality, whereas it was 14^th in 2020^[26]EIMIEHO, S. (Avril 2022). The struggle for women’s rights in Denmark. Croissant rouge. https://croissant-rouge-europeen.org/la-lutte-pour-les-droits-des-femmes-au-danemark. The unprecedented decline for Denmark was justified by the impact of the pandemic on various areas such as childcare and the distribution of household tasks which were unequally distributed between women and men and contributed to widening the gap between the two genders^[27]Gender Equality Index. (2022). Denmark. https://eige.europa.eu/gender-equality-index/2022/DK.

Denmark, a two-speed country on the subject of feminism

Legally speaking, Denmark is one of the most advanced countries regarding gender equality. In 2020, the Danish government noticeably recognized that sexual intercourses without consent were rape and it became the 10^th European country to pass this into law^[28]Amnesty International. (Novembre 2020). Denmark, a bill brings the country closer to a historic moment for women’s rights. … Continue reading. Nevertheless, from the societal perspective, the evolution of the customs and mentalities of the Danes is necessary to stop the trivialization of sexist and macho acts that the culture of consensus tends to promote.

This dichotomy constitutes the real Danish paradox and can be explained essentially by the fear of offence. In Denmark, the general idea is that in order to live harmoniously, there must be a consensus among individuals, regardless of religion, gender or sexual orientation. This is why it is more than crucial to deconstruct the postulate assimilating feminism to extremism, in order to hope for a radical change of morals within the Danish society and thus achieve better gender equality.

To quote this article: Emma Roquel (2023). Denmark: Women in the Army Facing Harassment. Gender in Geopolitics Institute. igg-geo.org/?p=13437&lang=en

The statements in this article are the sole responsibility of the author.