Are We Politicising Sexual Assault?

Trigger and content warning: this article addresses sexual assault and sexual harassment.

This article is not to debate whether or not people accused of sexual assault should remain Members of Parliament.

This article is to debate whether or not we are outraged at the issue… or outraged at a Party and using the issue accordingly.

As I sit here today, all I can fantasise about is an Australia where Julie Bishop had won the contest for leadership on August 24, 2018 (coincidentally my birthday).

What would our country have been like under strong female leadership? What would the last month have been like? What would the past 2 years have been like for many women affected in Parliament House?

Having worked in that building myself for over 5 years now, one begins to notice the traits of the ‘boys’ club’. In fact, many politicians talk about this, both male and female. It is rare a sitting week goes by without the conversation of “how can we get more women into Parliament” coming up at least once.

In the past month, we have seen the worst of this boys’ club mentality. A number of women have come forward over the past few weeks with sexual assault claims against politicians and staffers alike, with rapes reportedly occurring in Parliament House.