Call for ban on sexual relations between barristers and junior staff | Sexual harassment

A study by the workmanship peers Harriet Harman should be banned to prevent predatant abuse in the British and Wales bar of anyone who has work experience in sexual relations and rooms between lawyers and students.

Bullying and harassment report, which requires “decisive and radical change ,, comes months after the Navjot“ Jo ”Sidhu KC is disappointed for sexual abuse for an enthusiastic female lawyer. At the same time, Harman, an former working leader, said that the case was emphasized that the case ıyla systemic problems that oppose the bar on sexual abuse ”.

As a former president of the Penal Association, which was once the director of public prosecution, Sidhu’s case, which was under appeal, increased its long -standing concerns.

Harman, who chaired the examination of the behavior of the judges, wrote the following: “Those who are in strong positions in the judiciary who choose to make bullying, harassment or sexual harassment may be quite sure that nothing will be done. And this should change. Geopardy should pass the sacrifice from the tool.

“In the rooms, it should be understood that they are there to work, not for sexual satisfaction of the students and the elderly of the young clerks. [barrister] In Chambers, he has sex with a student with a difficult sanctions in those rooms. “

A woman told Harman that a clerk came to a compulsory work-based education period before becoming a lawyer in the first student week-and that she should sleep with her and that Chambers were held by her senior members at social activities.

Another student said that he was sexually harassed by an elderly Chambers member, and that he made his question a fear for career choice and safety. In another example, a woman stopped going to social functions because sexual harassment “humiliating and scanning my skin”.

Harman said: “Bullying, harassment and sexual harassment is a problem in the bar and bench, rooms and courtrooms, open courts and behind the gates of the robbery.

“There is no confidence in the complaint system. Common fear of complaints about abuse gives the perpetrators unpunished, which results in an untouchable cohort. This is the moment of taking the bar into account.”

The review, published on Monday, found that most of the victims did not report that they experienced as they would end a career and left them unemployed. Instead, Harman said that the students compared the notes about predators and that young lawyers complained about bullying judges in a large number of WhatsApp group. He wanted to end the “mass bystanding culture ..

Harman said that young lawyers were shouted by the judges, humiliated them and left them miserable, but there was a lack of acceptance by the judiciary.

36 One of the main recommendations, in order to address the perception that the sanctions were unjustly soft, he said that an independent person should participate in sanction decisions after a judicial abuse rather than the Lady Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor.

Harman also proposed a new commissioner to combat bullying, harassment and sexual harassment at the bar to be appointed by the Bar Council.

Barbara Mills KC, President of the Bar Council, called it a il A generation of opportunity to change the culture of the bar ”.

“We have appointed this report last year, because we are aware of the scale of the problem, but we see the effect on our colleagues and those who want to participate in the profession in this report. For disturbing reading. All lawyers have to have a safe working environment to provide the best results for their customers.”