Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has apologized to a former staff member for handling the sexual assault complaint after claiming that a colleague raped her.
Former employee Brittany Higgins said she was not supported when she reported being raped two years ago in the office of then-Defense Minister Linda Reynolds, Higgins said in an interview Monday. reported the Associated Press.
Higgins said Reynolds questioned her story and had her meet in the office where the alleged rape took place.
“That shouldn’t have happened, and I apologize,” Morrison said, condemning the meeting in the same office where the alleged rape took place.
“I deeply, deeply regret that I held the meeting in my office where the alleged incident took place,” Reynolds said.
Higgins did not name the man she accuses, but says he was fired because he left her alone in the office, which is considered a security breach.
Higgins said he did not speak because he wanted to jeopardize his future job, although Reynolds said Higgins’ employment was never threatened if he presented, according to The Associated Press.
“We need to do more, whether it’s this job or any other job in the country, to make sure that people can work safely in their place and be in the best possible position and do what they did in that job, ”Morrison said.
Morrison ordered an investigation into Parliament’s culture and the adoption of new procedures to create a better job.