Historic lawsuit in Australia accuses the military of sexual discrimination and covering up assaults

Thousands of Australian women have filed a historic lawsuit against the Australian Defence Force, accusing it of sexual discrimination and systematic cover-up of assaults and unsafe practices within the military for decades.

Legal and human rights sources have stated that the lawsuit is considered "historic" due to the scale of the allegations and their institutional and prolonged nature.

The law firm "JGA Sadler" in Brisbane is representing the plaintiffs, with expectations that thousands of women who were harmed during their service in the military between November 2003 and May 2025 will join.

The lawsuit is led by four main plaintiffs from different branches of the defence forces, with their identities concealed for legal reasons.

Joshua Eilward, the head of the law firm, stated that the women were working in an "entirely unsafe environment, rife with sexual assaults, violence, and gender-based discrimination," emphasizing that the greatest danger was not war, but sexual violence within the workplace itself.

The lawsuit highlights the extent of discrimination and assaults, including harassment and bullying, with demands for accountability from military officials for these practices and protection for women in the Australian Defence Force in the future.