Report links sexual abuse to senior ranks in Argentina's security forces

“There are a number of us here who’d like to get you pregnant.” “Nothing’s for free here.” “This doesn’t leave this room.” “You’re reporting me? You’ll find out who I am and where you stand.”

These are just some of the phrases reported by women serving in Argentina’s armed and security forces, according to a new report by the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Violence against Women (UFEM) seen by Perfil. 

It reveals that almost all alleged perpetrators were senior officials exercising authority over their victims. Aggressors “attempted to naturalise harassment as usual practice within the institution,” the authors found, and that “threats were made towards the victims, making use of positions of power.”

Based on an analysis of 23 case files opened between 2011 and 2023 across 14 jurisdictions, the report found that 96 percent of accused abusers held medium or top executive positions at the time the assaults took place. 

UFEM warns that sexual violence within the forces is not episodic, but structural, rooted in hierarchical command systems that normalise abuse and discourage reporting.

“The aggressors attempted to naturalise harassment as usual institutional practice,” the report states, noting that threats and intimidation were routinely used to exploit power imbalances. While regulatory changes have formally incorporated a gender perspective and expanded women’s access to the forces, UFEM argues that deeply masculine organisational cultures continue to reproduce violence across institutions.

The victims were, on average, 27 years old, ranging from 17 to 39. Meanwhile, the accused assailants were typically 43, an average 16-year age gap that reflects both rank and authority. More than half of the complainants belonged to the Armed Forces, with the rest spread across federal security bodies, led by the Federal Police.

The report also documents the consequences women faced after reporting abuse. In nearly three-quarters of cases, victims filed an internal complaint before turning to the criminal justice system, often waiting months to do so. Yet 21 of the 24 women surveyed experienced changes to their working conditions following their complaint – 62 percent were placed on temporary leave, nearly half were transferred to another unit or location and 19 percent were dismissed or forced into early retirement.

In most cases, these measures were imposed by the institution itself rather than requested by the victim. UFEM also identified attempts to pressure women into withdrawing complaints, disciplinary action based on fabricated performance issues, and situations in which victims were forced to continue working alongside their alleged abuser.

Despite the severity and recurrence of the abuse, sanctions were limited. Only 41 percent of accused perpetrators faced any form of punishment. Six arrests were recorded, alongside a small number of dismissals or inactive postings. Several offenders were simply transferred or granted temporary leave. At least five of the accused had a prior history of gender-based violence, including internal complaints by other women.

The report also highlights the prolonged nature of the abuse. Sixty percent of cases involved repeated assaults sustained over periods ranging from more than a year to up to seven years. More than half of the incidents were reported between one and eight years after they first occurred.

Women’s exposure to abuse is compounded by their relatively recent and uneven incorporation into the forces. UFEM notes that women were first admitted into support roles, later into command structures, and only belatedly into the most prestigious and hierarchical units.

UFEM argues that this uneven integration reinforces power asymmetries, leaving younger women disproportionately exposed to abuse by senior male officers and more vulnerable to retaliation when they report it.

The UFEM report concludes that women are particularly vulnerable while on duty, with assaults frequently taking place in shared rooms, cabins or vehicles during operations, environments where hierarchy, isolation and obedience converge. The findings, prosecutors warn, point to an institutional failure not only to prevent sexual violence, but to protect those who speak out against it.

* Reporting by Barbara Komarovsky.