Women who allege widespread and systemic sexual abuse, harassment, discrimination and victimisation during their employment within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are taking part in a class action in an unprecedented legal step against the Commonwealth.

There are four applicants in the class action, whose names are withheld for legal reasons, but any woman subjected to sexual violence, sexual harassment or discrimination while working in the ADF between November 12, 2003 and May 25, 2025 is eligible to participate.

The first applicant from the air force was the only woman with eight to 12 men on her training course and one of two women in a building of about 200 people.

She alleges comments from her sergeant during her training included "women shouldn't be paid as much as men because

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