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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/31/mps-sexual-abuse-harassment-politics-disrepute-sexual-harassment
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| We MPs must act quickly on sexual abuse or politics will fall into disrepute | |
| (3 days later) | |
| The role of MP is unlike any other job; it’s a seven-days-a-week rollercoaster ride. One minute, you might be grilling the prime minister to jeers from the other side in the bearpit of the House of Commons chamber. The next, you will be at a crumbling community centre in your constituency, dealing with emergency-rehousing an evicted mother and her kids, who have turned up at your advice surgery with nowhere to sleep for the night. Not only is the job unique, but parliament is like no other place of employment on Earth. It can be a peculiarly work-hard, play-hard environment, so revelations of workplace sexual abuse probably came as no surprise to many of the 4,000 people who work on the parliamentary estate. | The role of MP is unlike any other job; it’s a seven-days-a-week rollercoaster ride. One minute, you might be grilling the prime minister to jeers from the other side in the bearpit of the House of Commons chamber. The next, you will be at a crumbling community centre in your constituency, dealing with emergency-rehousing an evicted mother and her kids, who have turned up at your advice surgery with nowhere to sleep for the night. Not only is the job unique, but parliament is like no other place of employment on Earth. It can be a peculiarly work-hard, play-hard environment, so revelations of workplace sexual abuse probably came as no surprise to many of the 4,000 people who work on the parliamentary estate. |
| But now the spotlight has turned on MPs, with a drip-drip of sordid details emerging. | But now the spotlight has turned on MPs, with a drip-drip of sordid details emerging. |
| In this line of work there is a potentially explosive mix of ingredients: late hours, booze-fuelled receptions, bars aplenty and many MPs living away from home in the week, far from their families. You could see how temptation might come knocking to the weak-willed. | In this line of work there is a potentially explosive mix of ingredients: late hours, booze-fuelled receptions, bars aplenty and many MPs living away from home in the week, far from their families. You could see how temptation might come knocking to the weak-willed. |
| In addition to this, demand for positions far outstrips supply in the mother of parliaments. All MPs, me included, receive multiple requests daily from people offering to work for us, sometimes for free. With those in positions of power alongside those desperate for a foothold, abuse of power can result. | In addition to this, demand for positions far outstrips supply in the mother of parliaments. All MPs, me included, receive multiple requests daily from people offering to work for us, sometimes for free. With those in positions of power alongside those desperate for a foothold, abuse of power can result. |
| Allegations about an ex-cabinet member sending lewd texts to a teenager and a serving minister dispatching an employee to purchase sex toys for him are concerning but it is positive that a light is being shone on this. Sweeping misconduct under the carpet or claiming that it is for police to investigate only misses the point. Even if there is no legal case against shopping for the boss during one’s lunch hour, surely there is a moral case not to be coerced into buying sex toys for one’s boss. | Allegations about an ex-cabinet member sending lewd texts to a teenager and a serving minister dispatching an employee to purchase sex toys for him are concerning but it is positive that a light is being shone on this. Sweeping misconduct under the carpet or claiming that it is for police to investigate only misses the point. Even if there is no legal case against shopping for the boss during one’s lunch hour, surely there is a moral case not to be coerced into buying sex toys for one’s boss. |
| Since my election in 2015, I’ve thankfully not been directly on the receiving end of harassment; though I am frequently challenged by the parliamentary police, presumably for not looking MP-like enough. | Since my election in 2015, I’ve thankfully not been directly on the receiving end of harassment; though I am frequently challenged by the parliamentary police, presumably for not looking MP-like enough. |
| We need robust, transparent processes with an independent adjudicatory body rather than existing parliamentary personnel | We need robust, transparent processes with an independent adjudicatory body rather than existing parliamentary personnel |
| Half a lifetime ago, however – back in 1995, as a student in Strasbourg volunteering at the European parliament – I was on the receiving end of unwanted attention from a male MEP with wandering hands. I didn’t come forward at the time for the reason many women don’t. The asymmetry of power relations cements a culture of control, with the young and powerless fearful that it will be career-ending for them. | Half a lifetime ago, however – back in 1995, as a student in Strasbourg volunteering at the European parliament – I was on the receiving end of unwanted attention from a male MEP with wandering hands. I didn’t come forward at the time for the reason many women don’t. The asymmetry of power relations cements a culture of control, with the young and powerless fearful that it will be career-ending for them. |
| These things occur behind closed doors, as domestic abuse by definition does, and most women do not want to relive the experience through the courts, or don’t even feel they will be believed. In my case, I was in a foreign country to boot. Now I’m the one in a position of relative power, albeit as an opposition backbench MP, and want to stop similar things – or worse still – happening to any young staffer today. | These things occur behind closed doors, as domestic abuse by definition does, and most women do not want to relive the experience through the courts, or don’t even feel they will be believed. In my case, I was in a foreign country to boot. Now I’m the one in a position of relative power, albeit as an opposition backbench MP, and want to stop similar things – or worse still – happening to any young staffer today. |
| The detail of what the government announced in parliament this week in response to an urgent question put by Harriet Harman is vague. We need robust, transparent processes with an independent adjudicatory body whose staff are fully trained in sexual abuse issues rather than “being seen to do something” using existing parliamentary personnel. | The detail of what the government announced in parliament this week in response to an urgent question put by Harriet Harman is vague. We need robust, transparent processes with an independent adjudicatory body whose staff are fully trained in sexual abuse issues rather than “being seen to do something” using existing parliamentary personnel. |
| The solution will take a mixture of clear rules and clearly codified human resources policies, as well as changing the wider political culture of patronage. Where party whips’ offices are aware of misdemeanours, details should be systematically investigated, not hushed up as part of some partisan reward system to dangle over MPs. Sexism, racism, misogyny, homophobia and workplace bullying all need stamping out, rather than just launching a firefighting exercise to deal with the current crisis du jour. | The solution will take a mixture of clear rules and clearly codified human resources policies, as well as changing the wider political culture of patronage. Where party whips’ offices are aware of misdemeanours, details should be systematically investigated, not hushed up as part of some partisan reward system to dangle over MPs. Sexism, racism, misogyny, homophobia and workplace bullying all need stamping out, rather than just launching a firefighting exercise to deal with the current crisis du jour. |
| MPs are 650 separate entities; we are each employers in our own right but governed by rules which are nebulous at best, if not non-existent. There is no staff handbook, and at the moment we are judge and jury of any complaints against us. What existing policy there is mainly seems to be to protect MPs against employees with grievances rather than empowering them to speak out in anonymity. | MPs are 650 separate entities; we are each employers in our own right but governed by rules which are nebulous at best, if not non-existent. There is no staff handbook, and at the moment we are judge and jury of any complaints against us. What existing policy there is mainly seems to be to protect MPs against employees with grievances rather than empowering them to speak out in anonymity. |
| As a lifetime wage slave thrust into political office upon my election, I would certainly support calls for MP management training. | As a lifetime wage slave thrust into political office upon my election, I would certainly support calls for MP management training. |
| Finally, these imbalanced power relations that perpetuate sexual for political favours, which have allowed so many to just put up and shut up, need action at all levels of government, including local councils and the European parliament, for as long as the UK still has MEPs. Unless swift and decisive action is taken then it is politics as a whole that falls into disrepute. | Finally, these imbalanced power relations that perpetuate sexual for political favours, which have allowed so many to just put up and shut up, need action at all levels of government, including local councils and the European parliament, for as long as the UK still has MEPs. Unless swift and decisive action is taken then it is politics as a whole that falls into disrepute. |
| • Rupa Huq is Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton | • Rupa Huq is Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton |
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