Westminster’s sex-pest scandal shows parliament is sick, weak and lets men rule
Alleged offenders have been told to resign before more stories surface and do more damage, while others have seemingly used claims to their gain to seize power
WESTMINSTER is unwell. The building even looks frail these days, wrapped in plastic and held up by scaffolding.
Its response to women’s stories of sexual harassment is weak.
The Secretary of Defence, Michael Fallon, didn’t resign because he touched someone’s knee.
He was told to resign so the next story about him wouldn’t get out and do more damage.
That is how Westminster works. It protects the status quo by strategically disciplining men who are often resurrected into later promotions.
And by silencing women - persuading them that their daily experiences are something to laugh off if they want to be part of the gang.
Or, should they make an official complaint, by using those stories to get MPs to behave.
By behave, I mean party officials and the Whips simply squeeze MPs to do what the party wants.
They don’t tell them to behave any better around women, who in return for sharing stories of humiliation and fear are often just told it’s been ‘dealt with’ - ie dismissed - or are warned about a bad impact on their career if they speak up.
As a journalist covering politics, I discovered that harassment was an everyday hazard.
I was in a hard-working, hard-drinking job and learned very quickly to laugh off each appraisal of my legs, every invitation to a private dinner to ‘get to know you better’, every lingering hand on my waist.
I told myself that I would grow a thicker skin. I told myself I was paving the way for other women. But I wasn’t.
I’ve been asked many times what we can do about this, whether the answer is better reporting systems to help women speak out.
Setting aside the daunting prospect that it involves (usually accompanied by media ridicule), we simply can’t expect victims to solve a problem that is founded in a massive power imbalance.
The explosion of harassment stories sparked by the fall of Harvey Weinstein has exposed a painful truth across media, entertainment and politics.
So long as all of these are dominated by men who use their power to objectify women, to portray men as leaders, to pass laws that don’t respond to women’s needs - then women will always be prey.
Michael Fallon’s replacement is Gavin Williamson, the former Chief Whip.
It has even been suggested that he has used the information he has for his own claim to power.
Using sexism for political advantage rather than seeking justice for victims? Now that really would be sick.
