The sexual assault and harassment scandal that has engulfed Hollywood has now spread to the corridors of Westminster. Over the past few weeks, our MP’s have been overwhelmed by allegations of harassment by male MP’s on both sides of the political spectrum. Parties have been rushing to defend their responses and struggling to provide adequate reactions to the suppression of these claims.
The cultural norms that have been prevalent in Westminster have made this abuse of their power possible, with many female MP’s pointing out that the system favours protecting those accused rather than supporting the alleged victims. The sexism engrained in Westminster has long been discussed, and despite recent progress made, these new allegations illustrate the lengths we still have to go. Alongside institutionalised sexism, there is a shocking lack of prevision for victims, with a lack of independent bodies to whom victims can talk to about workplace misconduct. The current system treats these allegations as ‘indiscretions’ which are to be reported to the whips’ office, creating a culture of fear, that furthers the idea that making a complaint is a sign of disloyalty.
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Women such as Bex Bailey have bravely spoken out to reveal the extent of their mistreatment. She spoke of how she was warned by a senior Labour party official that if she reported the rape that she says she was subjected to two years earlier at a party event, it could damage her career. It is not merely the lack of action that is taken once an incident is reported that needs to be addressed, but also the environment in which women are discouraged from speaking out.
The institution of better procedures needs to be outlined across the political spectrum and endorsed by all political leaders. Unless everyone is committed to reform, only the processes will change, not the culture in itself. Many have described the recent allegations as a witch-hunt amongst the media, that has created a culture of rumours and suspicion amongst Westminster MPs and their staff. However, surely we should be fearing an under, rather than an over-reaction. The argument that we are becoming too PC as a society seems deeply problematic in this context, no-one should have to feel threatened or uncomfortable in the workplace because of their gender, no matter how small or insignificant a gesture or a remark seems.
The sad fact of the matter is that this is a not a problem exclusive to Westminster, but is instead symbolic of a much wider situation that creates dangerous power dynamics in workplaces across the country, that are conducive to the assault and harassment of their workers. We need a cultural change, and to stamp out this abuse in the corridors of power would serve as a important example.