One in three policewomen are sexually harassed by male colleagues, damning report reveals
- NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said there will be an overhaul process
- Police are 'meant to be protecting' victims and more needs to be done to protect
- Report also revealed women are overlooked when it comes to senior positions
- Police have fully supported all 30 recommendations put forward to improve
One in three policewomen are sexually harassed by their male colleagues at work, a new report has revealed.
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said there will be a massive overhaul after an investigation by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.
'I found [the report's results] to be personally embarrassing as the Commissioner of Police, ' Mr Fuller told The Sunday Telegraph.
Mick Fuller said the police are 'meant to be protecting' victims and more needs to be done to remove the offenders from the workforce
The report was conducted by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick
Women were discriminated when it came to putting themselves forward for a more senior position (stock)
Anonymous reports by 20 women and 12 men revealed they were victims of attempted or actual sexual assault in the last five years of their police employment.
Mr Fuller said the police are 'meant to be protecting' victims and more needs to be done to remove the offenders from the workforce.
The report, which surveyed thousands of NSW officers, also disclosed that women were discriminated against when putting themselves forward for a senior position.
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Many cited that going on maternity leave affected the final decision with male colleagues chosen over them.
There has been a drastic drop of five per cent of the number of women who applied for a sergeant promotion.
'For a lot of women looking up, there is not a whole lot of women at senior levels,' Ms Broderick told the publication.
'If you can't see someone who is doing it really successfully, and particularly someone who has a caring responsibility, then 'why would I imagine I could do that?'
Many cited that going on maternity leave affected the final decision with male colleagues chosen over them (stock)
Mr Fuller cited that the police force would need to foster a more flexible workforce to ensure 'strong, intelligent and capable' female officers in his ranks (stock)
Mr Fuller cited that the police force would need to foster a more flexible workforce to ensure 'strong, intelligent and capable' female officers in his ranks.
Thirty recommendations were put forward by Ms Broderick which have all been fully supported by police.
Some of these include a sexual harassment unit that will look after complaints submitted through text, call or email, as well as advising on how the matter should be dealt with.
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