The Arrival of #MeToo Breaks the Silence

International standard-setting bodies began drawing attention to the problem of bullying and sexual harassment in the parliamentary workplace even before the arrival of the #MeToo movement led to more and more women politicians and staffers speaking out. Australia was unique in what followed—large protest events around the issue of women’s safety in parliament, which helped make it an election issue. More generally, as scandal mounted, parliaments commissioned surveys to ascertain the extent of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment. The surveys confirmed the prevalence of misconduct and the need for an intersectional approach to analysis and solutions. Precedents from the way financial scandals had been handled (path dependence) became important in the way Westminster parliaments responded, as did policy transfer.