The army bloc’s deputy commander for Ukraine help instructed a gathering, “If rape is inevitable, calm down and revel in”
NATO’s deputy commander for Ukraine help has been dismissed over a rape-related comment he made throughout a high-level assembly, Der Spiegel reported on Tuesday.
Main Basic Hartmut Renk instructed a gathering in February “If rape is inevitable, calm down and revel in.”
Following a proper grievance from a feminine British officer, Renk admitted to creating the remark however reportedly used it sarcastically to inspire his group, in keeping with the outlet.
German Protection Minister Boris Pistorius and Basic Carsten Breuer, the top of the German armed forces, oversaw an investigation, after which, the minister eliminated Renk from his NATO submit, canceled his deliberate promotion to a task within the US, and initiated disciplinary proceedings.
The 2-star normal now reportedly faces early retirement.
NATO publicly dedicated to combating conflict-related sexual violence and adopted a zero-tolerance coverage in 2020. Every bloc member is chargeable for investigating misconduct and taking disciplinary or authorized motion in opposition to its personal personnel.
Regardless of this coverage, sexual misconduct inside NATO ranks, together with incidents involving senior officers, has been extensively reported. A 2024 NATO Overview highlighted persistent sexual harassment and referred to as for cultural change inside army establishments.
Renk’s dismissal comes as new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to overtake the nation’s armed forces, restore credibility, and considerably improve army spending underneath the marketing campaign slogan, “Germany is again.”
The previous senior commander started his army profession in 1982 and was deployed to each Kosovo and Afghanistan. He most just lately labored on offering weapons and coaching for Kiev by way of NATO’s Safety Help and Coaching for Ukraine (NSATU) program.
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