The Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrisonhas apologized this Tuesday to the politicians and employees of the Parliament of Canberra who have been victims of harassment, sexual abuse and rapein response to an investigation on the work culture in the Legislative headquarters of this country.
“We have tried to silence people’s valid and fair complaints because Fear of electoral consequences reigned. Sorry. We’re sorry,” Morrison said in a speech at Parliament House in Canberra, where the leader of the opposition, Labor Anthony Albaneseand both chambers also joined in the apology.
Likewise, the president has apologized to the former adviser of the ruling Liberal Party Brittany Higginswhose complaint last year that she had been raped in 2019 in one of the Parliament offices by a former co-worker was the trigger for the investigation of sexual abuse in that workplace.
“Basically, I woke up in the middle of the rape,” the woman recounted. “They raped me and they only cared about where it had been and the consequences it would have for them.”
“(Higgins) had the courage to speak up, and that’s why we’re here. We regret all these things, and in doing so, each of us takes responsibility for a change. For those who have perpetuated harassment and violence, those behaviors will come to light.”
The complaint from Higgins, who complained about how her employers handled her complaint, prompted three other women to reveal that they were victims of assault or inappropriate touching by the same man, who is currently being prosecuted for the alleged crimes.
As a result of this and other complaints, the Executive launched an independent investigation, led by the Commissioner for Sexual Discrimination, Kate Jenkins.
The investigation revealed last November the existence of a toxic work culture in parliament dominated by menas well as systematic abuses of power, exploitation, harassment and aggression, including sexual, mainly against women.
“We accept the unacceptable history of abuse, harassment and sexual assault in the workplaces of the Parliament of Australia,” reads the statement from the Legislative of the oceanic country, apologizing for these incidents and committing to implement the necessary changes to create a safe place of work.
“We aspire to and must set the standard for the nation,” the statement emphasized by publicly admitting the facts in response to the recommendations of the Jenkins report, which revealed that el 51 per cent of Parliament staff experienced at least one incident of sexual abuse or harassment as well as attempted rape or completed sexual assault.
Source: Lasexta
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