More than a quarter of sexual assaults involving US troops deployed overseas last year took place in Poland — a growing hub of the nation’s security posture in Europe, jarring new military data reveal.
Reported assaults in Poland hit 73 last year as the US added 10,000 troops to bolster NATO’s eastern flank from the neighboring war in Ukraine and where new bases are under consideration, according to the data — which also show sexual assaults among US servicemembers down slightly worldwide by about 2%.
The data comes from an annual report on sexual reports in the military required by Congress.
The number of sex assaults in Poland is twice as many as any other country where US troops are deployed, and it’s the third year it has led all nations, Task and Purpose reported.
There are currently three times as many US troops in Germany as there are in Poland, with about 35,000 stationed there.
Congressional aides who closely monitor the issue could not readily explain why the problem is so acute in Poland — with individual cases underscoring the problem. The country has seen a rapid expansion of US forces, and has had some close calls with Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
In just one incident in Poland, Army Sgt. Ulrich Kameni, a petroleum supply specialist, pleaded guilty in June to assaulting two women and maltreatment of another. He was sentenced to three years in prison after a military court martial at Camp Kosciuskzko.
In a 2023 incident, Kameni berated and physically assaulted a female soldier under his supervision after she rebuffed his romantic advances, according to Army prosecutors. There was an earlier incident with a female soldier in Georgia.
Then in 2024, while at a bar in Zielona Gora, Poland, a “highly intoxicated” Kameni began flirting with a Polish civilian. Later that night, when the two were alone, Kameni became aggressive and grabbed the woman by the neck, injuring her, prosecutors said.
Across the entire War Department, including those serving at home, there were 7,998 reports of sexual assault involving troops, down 2% from 8,196 in fiscal 2024.
There was enough evidence to take disciplinary action against 1,321 individuals investigated for sexual assault, according to the report, which also drew on a worldwide Department of War survey.
The real number of assaults is believed to be higher. About a third of those who said they experienced unwanted sexual contact reported it, according to survey results.
Poland isn’t the only overseas location reporting significant numbers of sexual assaults involving US troops. Kuwait and Qatar, where military bases have been under repeated fire from Iran, also ranked among the countries with higher tallies, the data show. Out of 246 reported sexual assaults involving deployed troops, there were 30 in Kuwait, 24 in Qatar, 23 in Iraq, and 20 in Romania. The figures track where the assaults are reported.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who has pushed on the issue for years, said the overall decline in reported assaults was encouraging, adding that the numbers “appears to show meaningful movement in the right direction.”
A US Army spokesman said its “firmly committed to eliminating sexual assault and sexual harassment from our ranks.”
“This year’s report demonstrates meaningful progress across prevention, and survivor support,” said Maj. Travis Shaw without responding to questions about Poland. “Our goal is to ensure every soldier who experiences this crime feels safe coming forward to receive care and to hold offenders accountable.
