Australia faces the massive phenomenon of sexual harassment in places of power
Australian Brittany Higgins, here in March 2021, has broken the code of silence by claiming she was raped by a colleague while working at the Ministry of Defence.
AFP - SAEED KHAN
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has just apologized on behalf of the Australian people for the deviant behavior recorded in Parliament and in ministerial offices.
It took the courage of a young woman, victim of rape at her workplace at the Ministry of Defence, for the truth to come to light.
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Scott Morrison goes up to the podium and turns to Britanny Higgins, the one who started it all, the one who had the courage to break the taboo and publicly denounce her attacker.
"
Thank you,
" he said.
Thank you for opening our eyes to the detestable practices rooted in the heart of our institutions
.”
"
For decades, an ecosystem, a culture has taken root, in the name of which humiliation, harassment, outrage and sometimes even violence have become the norm,
" said the Australian Prime Minister.
This needs to change, so that those who come to work here can do so with confidence, as should be the case in any workplace in Australia
.”
A country in shock
The Higgins scandal had shocked the country, prompting massive protests and a call for emergency action.
The Australian government assures that the change has begun
.
It is based on a 450-page independent report which recommends mandatory training sessions for parliamentarians, ministers and members of their administration, the establishment of a code of good conduct and the strengthening of texts protecting people vulnerable.
►Also read:
Australia: demonstration against sexual violence after accusations at the top
Because the numbers today are frightening.
To date, within the Australian administration, one in three employees say they have been confronted with inappropriate speech or gestures.
►Also read
: Australian mining giant Rio Tinto accused of "systemic harassment"
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Australia
Scott Morrison
Womens rights