Letter to the Editor of The Australian - Sexual harassment

03/04/2008

Janet Albrechtsen fulfils her own prophesy when she states that people will always jump to conclusions when short on facts (When women claim sexual harassment, 03/04).

For every high profile sexual harassment or discrimination case, hundreds are resolved quietly at conciliation. This confidential process brings both groups together to negotiate an agreed outcome, which for many women is not money; it’s an apology for the humiliation she suffered when the boss grabbed her breast, or the reinstatement of the position that was conveniently ‘restructured’ while she was on maternity leave.

Hundreds more never make it this far, because women are too afraid to complain, partly due to the culture of complicity inherent in many workplaces, a culture legitimised by offensive suggestions like Ms Albrechsten’s that women ‘claim sexual harassment’ to compensate for their own professional inadequacies.

Ms Albrechtsen seems to think that just because she hasn’t experienced sex discrimination at that no-one has, and points to equal recruitment of males and females as evidence of non-discriminatory culture. Countless organisations have an even balance of genders at the entry-level point, but a quick glance at the male to female ratio in the more senior ranks is much more telling. The reality is that many of the top and middle tier law firms perform poorly here.

Perhaps Ms Albrechtsen could spend some time talking to victims of sexual harassment and sex discrimination. Then she might be less inclined to blame them.

Media Enquiries: Alex Manning 0407 328 633