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Soldier of the Call
Private A. is not only a WOT soldier, but besides a local radio journalist. Before she decided to put on her uniform, she repeatedly reported on events related to the West Pomeranian territorial defence brigade. Not without meaning to her decision to join the army were the household traditions associated with the service of her grandparents in the Home Army.
In the end, she decided to do so after talking to General Wiesław Kukuła, then commander of the WOT, present head of the General Staff of the Polish Army. “ After an interview with him, he said that he would want me to enter into the structures of the Territorial defence Army, ” says A.
Last June, she started basic training. That's how it started. At first, she thought she had made the right decision. In time, however, events went in a unusual and traumatic direction for her.
"It got loud in the battalion"
The following is simply a further part of the text and the full conversation in video format:
The brigade commander was Colonel Piotr Sulwiński at the time. — erstwhile I was in primary training, the colonel came to talk to fresh soldiers. He started asking questions. He knew who I was due to the fact that I interviewed him earlier. Then, too, in front of all those soldiers, he declared that I would become a spokesperson for the brigade. I took that astonishment due to the fact that I wasn't even a soldier yet. In the battalion it got loud, says A in the podcast. He adds that the situation was so awkward that there was a soldier in the brigade who had already served as a spokesman.
In time, however, the situation became normal. Private A. due to its expertise and journalistic experience, she was primarily meant to aid advance WOT in the media. Therefore, in mid-2024 she arranged for an interview with Colonel Sulwiński, who was expected to tell the radio listeners how the brigade developed for 5 years of operation and what its further improvement would look like, and whether fresh battalions would arise. – It was very warm, but I was wearing a cover. The colonel suggested respective times during our conversation that I should take her down. For the first time, I felt a small uncomfortable in his presence, he says.
In time, the commander in talks with A. was increasingly shortening his distance, until he yet began to talk to her publically by name. He besides initiated private correspondence through communicators. “ At first, it was professional. Later, morning greetings began, questions about my well - being, and my work,” says the soldier.
The key moment. "He jumped distant erstwhile I almost started screaming"
The key minute of this communicative was 15 November last year. For the battalion in Trzebiatów it was an crucial day. He started another basic course for fresh soldiers. Private A was expected to study it and interview the colonel.
- The commander came after 8:00. He spoke to the candidates for service. He said hello to me, too. After a while, 1 of the soldiers told me to be in the colonel's office in 10 to nine. I went there with a microphone. I got coffee and I thought we were going to talk about the incarnation of fresh soldiers,” says A.
“The colonel abruptly stated, however, that the subject was unworthy of his rank and would not speak. I tried to convince him, but he definitely refused. It got a small awkward. We talked about nothing for a while. He then took the recorder and checked if it was on. Then he came to the door and checked to see if anyone was waiting for him. He locked the door and came to me in the back. He hugged me truly hard. He started kissing his cheek. I was immobilized, says A. breaking his voice, making long breaks.
— At 1 point, he pulled the chair I was sitting in and turned it around. He came upon me so that my legs were between his legs, and he was leaning over me. He started kissing me. For a moment, for a fewer seconds in consequence to what was happening, I started laughing suddenly. But after a while I tried to push him away. It wasn't easy due to the fact that he's a strong man. inactive with 1 hand, due to the fact that the another kept me behind, he tried to unbutton my uniform. He managed to unzip 1 or two. Then he pulled my shirt out of my pants and tried to contact my breasts, then his crotch. Then he took my hand very powerfully and put it to his crotch. I started protesting and saying, "No, no, stop." At first, I was quiet, but erstwhile he kept going, I spoke louder. He jumped erstwhile I almost started screaming. He went around the table and started jumping. Showed he had an erection. He said, “Look what you did to me,” says A.
She wanted to evidence the colonel. "I didn't see the dictaphone icon on the screen"
The soldier was stunned. She ran out of her office in a panic. erstwhile she stopped on the half-story, she began to wonder what to do. She knew there was nothing to look for in military law enforcement without evidence.
On the same day, she decided to go to the colonel again to get them. She wanted to evidence his confession to the rape attempt. “I knew I had to turn the recorder on the phone, but believe me, this is specified an emotional situation that I, taking the telephone in my hand, did not see the icon of the recorder on the screen,” he says.
Nothing came out of the video, and the colonel was acting like he was this morning again. “Come on, let’s do it in the closet.” Then I got a message from a friend and she saved me. I showed it to the colonel and told him I was needed in the warehouse. Then he let me go, says A.
“This is besides large a case”
In time, however, the soldier managed to gather evidence. The colonel himself confessed to the incidental in correspondence with her. Last December, the Private reported the case to the Military Police. Then the commander tried to apologize to her, smooth things over, wrote that he did not want to violate her comfort zone.
A. besides informed her battalion commander in Trzebiatów to keep his business path. “Then he said, here I gotta quote him, “Don’t get me in this situation, due to the fact that it’s besides big,” he says.
Case A. was dealt with by the Military Gendarmeria of Szczecin. “The proceeding took place in Trzebiatów. I went there, filed a report, donated material, including recordings. A fewer days later, I received a letter that the gendarmerie reported the anticipation of committing a crime to the Szczecin D.A. and that 1 is already investigating. Later, for a very long time, nothing happened, he says.
Three Letters
The soldier couldn't handle the situation. That's why she went to the specialist for help. She besides wrote 3 letters: to the WOT commander, to the chief of staff and to president Andrzej Duda. After this movement, Colonel Sulwiński abruptly went on rather a long vacation, and then on medical leave. In consequence to her letter, the WOT commander besides set up a commission to analyse sexual harassment.
— Knowing how these stories ended, I suspected it might be a game of appearances. I was right, although I initially thought that the committee was on my side, that they wanted to make me feel comfortable. The atmosphere was beautiful good. I besides heard that the committee is going to Szczecin to perceive to another people, and then they will invitation me again so that I can read the conclusions from my hearing,” she says.
The Commission did indeed appear in the unit at the end of January that year. Private A. thought she would read the minutes, but she was called again for a hearing.
— I had to walk into the same building, walk past the same office. I felt uncomfortable. The committee apologized for the situation, but it was a violation of the procedures for dealing with the victim of harassment,” she says. The committee's attitude towards her has besides changed. The soldier felt that the questions were going in this direction to make the victim an accessory.
Only after the case was handled by journalists, the military made the decision to transfer Colonel Sulwiński to the staff reserve. The findings of the committee are inactive unknown. Private is besides waiting for the prosecution's findings. erstwhile asked if she regretted having reported and then made the case public, she replied firmly that she did not. “ As a journalist, I wrote about akin cases, and I always encouraged victims to fight for their rights and dignity. Therefore, erstwhile I was in their shoes, I could not do otherwise, he says.
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