Women in missions

The project aims to contribute knowledge about the mission-related demands (cumulative, traumatic and moral) experienced by female soldiers and officers in connection with the different deployment cycles of international service, how they manage such demands, and how they are faring today.

Since 1953, approximately 70,000 individuals have participated in Swedish Armed Forces operations abroad. Of these, around 7 per cent (3,600) are women (Swedish Armed Forces, 2023). Research shows that female soldiers and officers are assuming an increasing number of roles in international operations, are deploying more regularly, and are more frequently taking part in longer missions. Today, Swedish women serve across all branches and appointments within the Swedish Armed Forces.

Although research on women in military organisations is relatively extensive in general terms, veteran research focusing specifically on women’s experiences of service-related stressors linked to the different deployment cycles of international service remains limited. This includes cumulative mission-related challenges, as well as traumatic and morally demanding situations, and their significance for performance and health. In particular, there is a knowledge gap concerning female international veterans’ experiences of moral stressors, moral stress and moral injury related to international service. Similarly, few studies examine female international veterans’ coping strategies, performance, and their experiences of readjustment to everyday life and various health outcomes following their return home. Underlying motivations for international service and the presence of a veteran identity have also been highlighted in previous research as important factors for health and well-being; these constitute additional perspectives that warrant closer examination in relation to female international veterans.

This project seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the mission-related demands (cumulative, traumatic and moral) experienced by female soldiers and officers during the various deployment cycles of international service, how they manage such demands, and how they are faring today. It will also examine the significance of individual and organisational working conditions – in particular leadership – for health and performance. Differences between various subgroups among female international veterans will likewise be explored in greater detail.

The project is both exploratory and applied in nature.