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International Women’s Day: Timely reminder to call out sexual harassment in legal profession
8th Mar 2021
International Women’s Day is a timely reminder of how important it is to call out abusive, harassing behaviours in the workplace when they are witnessed, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
“Public conversation about the harassment and abuse of women that takes place in some professional environments is critical to ensure more people feel confident to challenge these toxic workplace cultures,” said Mr Graham Droppert SC, National President, ALA. “Unfortunately, the legal profession is no exception.
“We need the senior people in the legal profession to call out unacceptable behaviour when they see it – it can no longer be overlooked or ‘swept under the carpet’. I hope that, as a result of the public discussion over the last 12 months, we will see a significant cultural shift in the profession.
“It is a tremendous loss to the legal profession when intelligent, capable women end their legal careers due to sexual harassment and a professional culture that does not enable them, or others, to call out the problem behaviour.”
The ALA has a gender equality policy designed to encourage members to actively promote the role of women in the legal profession and to call out discriminatory and abusive conduct. It will also help to create opportunities for women to progress in the profession, and assume leadership roles both within the ALA and more broadly.
Read the ALA’s gender equality policy here: https://www.lawyersalliance.com.au/about-us/advancing-women-in-the-law
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