The Association of Women Lawyers will meet Bar Council chairperson Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor to discuss how to address sexual harassment within the Bar.
AWL president Sheena Gurbakhash (above) said Abdul Fareed has agreed to meet with the association to discuss the matter, but a date or agenda has not been set.
“Ideally, we would like a serious commitment and action plan to take on harassment and gender bias issues within the Bar,” she said when contacted.
This includes the creation of a code of ethics against harassment to be adopted by all firms, and to increase awareness of harassment and institutional support for survivors, she said.
“We look forward to working with the Bar Council to make the legal practice safer and more inclusive for everyone,” Sheena added.
This comes after a lawyer lodged a police report alleging that she was groped by another lawyer at the Criminal Lawyers Annual Party on June 22. The suspect was arrested and released on police bail.
Following the report, more female lawyers have come forward to share their experiences of being sexually harassed by colleagues.
An AWL survey on Kuala Lumpur and Selangor lawyers found that one in three lawyers, male and female, have experienced sexual harassment at work.
This is in line with global figures. An International Bar Association study released in May states that a third of female lawyers surveyed in 135 countries say they have been sexually harassed at work.
Following the incident, Abdul Fareed (above) said the Bar Council will not tolerate sexual harassment.
Sheena said the Bar Council has an existing mechanism for sexual harassment complaints but it is not used and not widely known.
“This has to change,” she said.
Sheena added there is also a need to raise awareness on the issue “so people understand the importance of boundaries and know when the line has been crossed”.
“It is also important to reach out to key stakeholders - which include the judiciary, clients, law enforcement and universities and colleges,” she said.
On Monday, Malaysiakini reported that female lawyers say they are frequently exposed to harassment from colleagues and that they have devised ways of protecting each other.
This includes sharing a list of colleagues known for predatory behaviour so they can avoid harassment.
They say young female lawyers are often the target of harassment, and most do not dare to complain, for fear of career repercussions. - Mkini
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