Law Society of SA hopes Dyson Heydon case will encourage sexual harassment victims to come froward
The Law Society of SA has acknowledged sexual harassment is rife within the state’s legal profession and hopes the Dyson Heydon case will encourage victims to come forward.
SA News
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The Law Society of South Australia hopes the Dyson Heydon case will serve as a catalyst for change within the state’s legal profession, which it acknowledges is rife with sexual harassment.
Society president Tim White said the findings of a High Court investigation into the conduct of former judge Mr Heydon was “deeply troubling”.
The investigation upheld sexual harassment complaints made by six young female associates against Mr Heydon, 77, who was a High Court justice from 2003 to 2013.
Mr White said the society commended the High Court for its handling of the case.
“We hope it will give those in the profession who have been subject to sexual harassment the confidence to speak out, and for their complaints to be taken seriously and be subject to just processes,” he said.
The Law Society was “acutely aware sexual harassment is a significant problem in the profession”.
“We also know that a disproportionate number of victims are women in junior roles, and that harassment often occurs … where there is a power imbalance between the victim and perpetrator,” he said.
The society created a working group in 2018 to tackle the problem but there was “much more work to be done ”.
“I strongly encourage all practices to adopt Law Council’s Diversity and Equality Charter, and commit to observing its principles,” Mr White said.
Top Adelaide barrister and advocate for women in the legal profession Claire O’Connor SC said the sexual abuse of women in the sector was a “systemic problem”.
“It’s also obvious that the complaint procedures that are currently in place, that is the conduct commission, fails to be able to address that because women do not go to the conduct commission and complain,” she said.
Ms O’Connor said several women had told her of rapes and attempted rapes during the past three or four years which were not reported and others who had been advised by senior legal figures pursuing a case would ruin their career.
Ms O’Connor said the Law Society should commission an inquiry by the Equal Opportunity Commission.
She also encouraged female victims to reach out for support from groups such as the Women Lawyers Association of South Australia.