FOUR women have launched a landmark class action lawsuit against the Australian military alleging sexual abuse, harassment and discrimination.

Lawyers said they expected thousands to join the case against the Australian Defence Force (ADF), which was filed in the Federal Court today.

The four lead applicants, whose names are withheld for legal reasons, claim incidents including being forcibly pinned to a wall before being groped, and waking up naked and bruised after a party with male officers.

One woman, who served in the air force, said she endured sexist comments and was shown unsolicited pornographic photos.

She claimed her sergeant told her that “women should not be paid as much as men because they are not as strong.”

Another applicant from the navy said she faced constant lewd remarks and unwanted touching during training, and was later grabbed and kissed by a colleague while on duty abroad.

Gemma, another member of the air force who is not one of the four lead applicants, said harassment and misogyny were routine.

She was forced to work alongside a colleague she had made a complaint against, but was told there was not enough evidence for prosecution.

“[The ADF] are protecting their reputation and not their people,” she said.

“There needs to be more informed support for the victims … this isn’t a once-off, it is still happening.”

A 2024 report into veteran suicides found that about 800 reports of sexual assault within the ADF since 2019, with an estimated under-reporting rate of 60 per cent.

Lawyer Josh Aylward said: “The threat of war often isn’t the biggest safety fear for female ADF personnel, it is the threat of sexual violence in their workplace.

An ADF spokesperson said it was developing a sexual misconduct prevention strategy and there was “no place for sexual violence” in the army.