‘A cultural reckoning’: how an allegation of rape in Australia’s parliament sparked a firestorm

After Brittany Higgins alleged she was raped by a colleague in a minister's office, a mistrial and media scrutiny have failed to answer key questions

It is a case that has shaken Australian politics to its core. An allegation of rape in the nation's parliament, levelled by a government staffer against a colleague, has led to senior ministers appearing before court, triggered a slew of internal reviews and forced a reckoning over the gendered dynamic and toxic atmosphere plaguing an ecosystem devoid of workplace protections.

While Brittany Higgins' story has become a mainstay of Australia's political discourse, in recent days it has taken an extraordinary turn. Last week, before a retrial after the first was abandoned due to juror misconduct, the prosecution of the accused man, Bruce Lehrmann, was aborted out of concern for Higgins' mental health.