Sex Discrimination Commissioner's report confirms widespread sexual harassment and bullying in Canberra's Parliament House

The document reveals a repugnant culture within Parliament House of widespread harassment, assault, and bullying which is on a par with that experienced by female FIFO workers in the resources sector.

It is a source of national shame that reflects very badly on all political parties, heads of parliamentary offices, responsible public servants and even those in the media who have turned a blind eye to this festering sore.

IN THE NEWS:

And, remarkably, the sheer extent and scale of these abuses has only come to light because of the unflinching courage of a brave young woman who revealed she had allegedly been raped by a colleague on a couch in a minister's office after a work social function.

Her alleged attacker has strongly denied the charges.

If Brittany Higgins had not come forward in February, this report would not have seen the light of day. Nothing would have been done to drain what appears to be one of the most toxic workplace swamps in the country.

The figures are damning.

A survey completed by 935 people - 23 per cent of the 4008 people working at Parliament House workplaces - found more than half (51 per cent) had experienced at least one incident of bullying, sexual harassment, or actual or attempted sexual assault.

At least 77 per cent had either experienced, observed or heard about breaches of this nature.

Over half (53 per cent) of those who had experienced sexual harassment, and more than three-quarters (73 per cent) of those who had been bullied by a single perpetrator, said the individual concerned was their senior.

Men were more likely to be sexual harassers; women were more likely to be bullies.

Many of the accounts are horrific, with one female MP telling the inquiry a male MP sitting next to her had "... leaned over. Thinking he wanted to tell me something I leaned in. He grabbed me and stuck his tongue down my throat. The others all laughed. It was revolting and humiliating."

The recurrent theme is that the victims despaired of changing the system, or even obtaining some sort of justice, because of the alcohol and testosterone-fuelled culture and the often massive power imbalance between themselves and their abusers.

Only half of the participants said they knew how to make a report or complaint about bullying, sexual harassment or assault.

THE FALLOUT:

Parliament House is very different to the culture in corporate Australia where high-profile abusers and bullies regularly get shown the door for actions such as these.

This is what Ms Jenkins is trying to change with her comprehensive suite of 28 recommendations, including the establishment of an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission.

The ball is now in Parliament's court.

This should not, and cannot, be kicked down the road until after the next election.

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