Bullying in the Military: Implications and Remedies

While it is not part of the profile of a soldier to bully other soldiers, the nature of the military and its status as a social institution make soldiers vulnerable to the events of bullying. Such vulnerability comes about because of the structural inequalities – especially hierarchical relationships – that characterise military service. It bears emphasising that soldiers operate in a unique and robust environment with a rigid and uncompromising hierarchical rank structure with specified roles and career fields. Soldiers however do not forfeit basic human rights, and should therefore be protected from treatment that degrades their sense of self-worth. The study on which this article reports, examined the possible impact of bullying in the South African National Defence Force, while also considering legal remedies available to victims of bullying. To this end, a review of relevant literature and discussions with some soldiers and defence civilians who were located in various bases throughout the Republic of South Africa were undertaken. It was concluded that bullying exists in the South African National Defence Force, and if left unchecked, may hamper morale, military discipline, and the operational effectiveness of the defence force.