A court in Australia has begun the trial for the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins, a former political party staffer.
Brittany Higgins appeared before the Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court jury to record her statement and gave evidence.
Last year, Higgins claimed that she had been sexually assaulted by a senior colleague inside a senior government minister’s office 2019.
During the hearing, all her statements and interviews recorded with the police were presented in court for the members to listen to them.
After Higgins’ reports, thousands of women held objections in Australia demanding better security for women in the workplace.
The news also sparked opinions around the world and debate about the treatment and harassment of women in the Australian Parliament House.
Later, then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologized to Higgins for the way her rape complaint was initially handled.
Last year, in a report, Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins revealed that one in three people working in parliament had experienced some form of sexual harassment.
Jenkins said that 37% of respondents had personally experienced bullying, 33% sexual harassment, and 1% attempted sexual assault.
Rape and all forms of sexual assault against women, and even men sometimes dangerously becoming the new normal, which should be stopped.