Brittany Higgins has broken her silence over Justice Michael Lee’s finding she was raped at Parliament, thanking him for his compassion and offering an olive branch to all those “hurt” in the aftermath including her former boss Linda Reynolds.
In a 400-word statement, the former Liberal staffer said she was scared for years that she would not be supported or believed.
And while she conceded she did not agree with all of the judgement, she thanked Justice Lee for his “trauma-informed” approach to considering the impact of the incident on her mental health and memory.
“I was raped. No judgement was ever going to change this truth,’’ she said.
“I lived with the shame, humiliation, and fear of what telling my story would mean for my life and career, like so many other victim survivors.
“I was scared I wouldn’t be believed or supported.”
Ms Higgins said that she was proud that her decision to tell her story had changed laws and changed the working environment at Parliament House.
“The toxic culture in Parliament House was not something I just imagined,’’ she said.
“For decades, women working in Parliament House have not been heard. There was no safe space for them to speak up or raise serious complaints.”
In the statement, Ms Higgins responded to criticism over her decision to relinquish her anonymity and tell her story to news.com.au and then The Project.
“I felt compelled to tell my story,’’ she said.
“Thousands of staff working in Commonwealth Ministerial offices, from every side of politics, came forward and contributed to the Jenkins Review.
“Their stories, like mine, have shone a light on the conditions that have fed such a toxic culture and been willfully ignored for too long.”
In the aftermath of her decision to tell her story, Ms Higgins has been hospitalised multiple times for mental health reasons.
“My health, memory and relationships have been impacted by my rape,’’ she said.
“I was devastated that a rapist was given a nationwide platform (Channel 7’s Spotlight) to maintain his lies about what happened. I trust that those who contributed in any way to the program will reflect on their decision.
“Thanks to Justice Lee for his trauma informed approach, recognising that reactions to assault can vary wildly.
“In doing so, I hope he has set a new precedent for how courts consider the testimonies of victim survivors of sexual assault.
“While I do not agree with all of Justice Lee’s findings, I do respect his observations about the many people scarred and damaged in the aftermath of my rape.”
Ms Higgins who is being sued by Linda Reynolds for defamation also had an olive branch for her former boss and others hurt by the aftermath of her allegation.
“All the various people who have been unwittingly wrapped up in years’ worth of media discourse and legal battles in relation to my rape,’’ she said.
“I want to particularly point out my family, who have been such an incredible support. They’ve been so strong, faced a seemingly unrelenting barrage of hate and have consistently held me together at times when I thought I would fall apart.
“Senator Reynolds and Fiona Brown have also been hurt and for that I am also sorry. My perceptions and feelings about what happened in the days and weeks after my rape are different from theirs.
“I deeply regret that we have not yet found common ground.
“I hope we can resolve our differences with a better understanding of each other’s experience.”
Ms Higgins said it was now time for her to “heal” and move on with her life.
“I was 24 when I was raped in Parliament House,’’ she said.
“It has been five years of criminal and civil trials and government inquiries for the truth to finally be heard.
“It is now time to heal.”
More to come