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Is Westminster a safe place for women to work? Not in my experience

For young female staffers, it’s common to be cornered by a drunken MP, or subjected to a pat on the bum or an indecent proposal

By Becky Paton
Is Westminster a safe place for women to work? Not in my experience
Recent events have led many to reflect on a parliamentary culture defined by misogyny | Stock image via Alamy
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Parliamentary authorities are investigating 56 British MPs for sexual misconduct, according to The Sunday Times. That may shock the general public, but for women who have worked in Westminster, like me, it won’t be surprising.

Sexist comments, unwelcome attention and ‘wandering hands’ are the sad reality. As a former parliamentary aide, I witnessed a political culture in which sexual predators were able to act without fear of repercussions by a system that enabled them and MPs that excused them.

Now, in the face of two recent resignations over sexual misconduct, and an MP arrested for an allegation of rape and sexual assault, many working in politics are questioning whether Westminster is really a safe place for women at all.

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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0