Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologized to a former employee for the way his sexual assault complaint was handled after she alleged 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 on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
Higgins said Reynolds questioned her story and found her in the office where the alleged rape occurred.
“This shouldn’t have happened, and I apologize,” said Morrison, while condemning the meeting in the same office where the alleged rape took place.
“I deeply, deeply regret, conducting the meeting in my office where the alleged incident occurred,” said Reynolds.
Higgins did not reveal the name of the man she is accusing, 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 out because he wanted to compromise his future job, although Reynolds said that Higgins’ job was never threatened if she came forward, according to the Associated Press.
“We have to do more, whether in this place of work or in any other place of work in the country, to ensure that people can work safely in their place and be at their best and do what was done to do that job”, said Morrison.
Morrison ordered that Parliament’s culture be investigated and that new procedures be implemented to create a better workplace.