There was an "apology" in parliament

yesterday - federal parliament.  While it was widely reported as an apology it was actually a "joint Statement of Acknowledgment" and it recognised the "unacceptable history of workplace bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault in Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces".

It was the first of a series of recommendations which are the result of an inquiry which was brought about by the allegations made by a former staffer. She alleges she was raped in a ministerial office by another staffer.

Last night I was told by a neighbour, "Of course he's guilty. They wouldn't have had that parliamentary inquiry if he had been innocent."  For them that was an end of the matter. The alleged perpetrator has been found guilty by the media. What the court decides was irrelevant  as far as the neighbour is concerned. 

The same neighbour went on to find the Prime Minister as guilty as the perpetrator and the Leader of the Opposition, "in the very difficult position of having to support the statement". (There is no doubt about this neighbour's political leanings.)  

All this deeply concerns me. Please note the words "allegations" and "alleges". I in no way wish to suggest that these allegations are not serious. They are extremely serious and, if proven in court, then the perpetrator needs to feel the full force of the law. The problem however is that the alleged perpetrator may never be able to face a fair trial. There has been so much publicity surrounding the case, so much sympathy for the alleged victim, an inquiry and now an apology in parliament (where the alleged victim is actually named) that one could be forgiven for believing that the trial is over and the alleged perpetrator has been found guilty. 

It has gone even further than that. The alleged victim and another young woman who was last year's "Person of the Year" are due to speak at the National Press Club today. There will be another huge round of sympathetic publicity surrounding them - even before the case against the alleged perpetrator is heard in court.

So far he has said very little. All he has done is deny any wrong doing. I imagine that this is what he has been advised to do. Whether he is guilty or innocent he must be a very worried man by now because the media has found him guilty. Whatever the final outcome he is going to be "the man who..." for the rest of his life. 

 I would much prefer it if the matter had been left up to the court to decide before any publicity or any apologies. Why? Because I believe that doing it this way has the potential to actually do serious harm to victims.  Imagine what will happen if the alleged perpetrator is found not guilty or  the alleged victim is found to be partly responsible for what is alleged to have happened. The "blame game" which then ensues could make it so much harder for others who don't have the power to speak out in the same way.  

The media isn't helping here.