Not a secure place for ladies: Australian senator claims sexual assault in parliament

By Agence France-Presse: An Australian lawmaker on Thursday detailed allegations that she had been sexually “assaulted” in parliament, stating the constructing was “not a safe place” for ladies to work.

In a tearful Senate deal with, impartial Lidia Thorpe mentioned she had been subjected to “sexual comments”, cornered in a stairwell, “inappropriately touched” and “propositioned” by “powerful men”.

Thorpe had on Wednesday accused a fellow senator of “sexually assaulting” her, earlier than being pressured to withdraw the comment underneath menace of parliamentary sanction.

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But on Thursday, Thorpe restated the core of her allegations towards conservative David Van, who has strenuously denied the claims.

Van on Thursday mentioned he was “shattered and battered” by the allegations, telling native media they had been “utterly untrue.”

Thorpe mentioned that whereas the allegations had been shielded from Australia’s extreme defamation legal guidelines, Van had engaged attorneys within the matter and he or she needed to restate her case to navigate parliamentary guidelines.

Acknowledging that “sexual assault” meant various things to totally different folks, Thorpe described her experiences within the crucible of Australian democracy.

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“What I experienced was being followed, aggressively propositioned and inappropriately touched,” she mentioned.

“I was afraid to walk out of the office door. I would open the door slightly and check the coast was clear before stepping out,” she informed lawmakers.

“It was to the degree that I had to be accompanied by someone whenever I walked inside this building,” she added.

“I know there are others that have experienced similar things and have not come forward in the interests of their careers.”