Equal Opportunity Commissioner dismayed by prevalence of sexual harassment
What they’ve had to say
Victoria’s Equal Opportunity Commissioner has handed down a report into sexual harassment within the police force.
But Kate Jenkins told Neil Mitchell there is cause for optimism that things will change.
‘The research says 40% of women have experienced sexual harassment,’ Ms Jenkins said on Wednesday.
Ms Jenkins said it is ‘dismaying’ how common it is for women to be harassed, devalued, and treated in a sexist manner.
Incidents range from treating women like sexual objects to outright sexual assault.
Ms Jenkins said it can be hard to get women to come forward after being harassed.
‘They’re concerned about their career, they’re concerned about their reputation. They don’t think anything will be done,’ she said.
But Ms Jenkins believes many men are beginning to ‘get it’.
‘There’s lots of men who understand that what they’ve always tolerated, and thought didn’t matter, matters.’
Click play to hear Kate Jenkins tell Neil Mitchell about the damning report