Australian PM apologizes for sexual abuse and harassment in Parliament

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologized on Tuesday, February 8, to the survivors of harassment, abuse and sexual assault in Parliament and acknowledged that many complaints were silenced for fear of electoral consequences.

In a speech at the institution, Morrison apologized in the presence of Brittany Higgins the former adviser to the Liberal Party who denounced last year having been raped in the Parliament building, which caused other women to also be encouraged to present more accusations.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Higgins, for the terrible things that happened here (…) But I’m sorry for much more, for all those who before Mrs. Higgins endured the same (…) she had the courage to speak , And that’s why we’re here. We regret all these things and in doing so, each of us takes responsibility for a change,” said Morrison, of the Liberal Party.

Morrison’s apologies, along with those from Labor Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and both Houses of Parliament, come in response to 28 recommendations issued last November by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, who led a research on work culture at the Legislative headquarters.

“For many decades, an ecosystem, a culture, was perpetuated, in which intimidation, abuse and harassment, in some cases even violence, was normal,” he lamented.

The independent investigation was ordered last March by the Morrison government following Higgins’ complaint about the rape he suffered in 2019 by a former co-worker in the office of the then head of Defense Industries, Linda Reynolds. , in the Canberra Parliament.

Higgins’ complaint, who also complained about how her employers handled her case, 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.

They also provoked strong criticism of the Morrison government for its handling of the case. In addition, a massive march was held in which Higgins participated to demand greater protection for women in Parliament, as well as the removal of Reynolds from the Defense portfolio for having called the former adviser a “lying cow.”

“We have tried to silence the valid and fair complaints of the people because the fear of electoral consequences reigned. Sorry. We are sorry”, admitted Morrison, promising to “bring to light” the authors of these attacks in the Legislative.

Higgins, who became an icon of women’s demands, was part of a small group that attended the legislative session and sat in the gallery of the Canberra Parliament with restrictions due to COVID-19.

In addition, another former government adviser, Rachelle Miller, was present in the parliamentary gallery, who claims to have been the victim of verbal abuse, and on one occasion physical, by the former Minister of Education Alan Tudge.

Tudge, who previously had an extramarital relationship with Miller, denies this claim, although he has stepped down from the post while these events are being investigated, at a crucial time for the Morrison government ahead of this year’s elections in which he is seeking re-election.

Miller told the Australian public network ABC that she felt “vindicated by the apologies presented” in Parliament because “finally, it was recognized” what she had denounced for a long time, that “this culture is unacceptable.”

Jenkins’ investigation revealed a toxic male-dominated workplace culture in Parliament, as well as systematic abuse of power, exploitation, harassment and assault, including sexual, primarily against women.

According to the report presented at the end of last November, 51% of Parliament workers experienced at least one incident of sexual abuse or harassment as well as an attempted rape or completed sexual assault.

“We cannot undo what has been done, but if we have the will, we can break this cycle once and for all,” the Labor leader said in his speech, while the legislature promised “to set the standards that govern the nation” to remedy an “unacceptable history of abuse, harassment and sexual assault in the workplaces of the Parliament of Australia”.

With information from EFE and AFP.

Source-larepublica.pe