Sexual misconduct in the workplace

During my 21 years as a Detective with New Zealand Police, a significant proportion of my work involved responding to serious and sensitive sexual offending, from the initial attendance through to court proceedings. This required me to work with victims in a manner that was compassionate, empathetic, and honest in order to achieve the best possible outcome.  Providing that support not only helped create trust, but a smoother process through the justice system. 

More importantly however it allowed victims to regain a sense of control, self-worth, and resilience. When treated appropriately and supported well, many individuals are able to move forward from these experiences with strength. Over many years, I developed the skills necessary to guide victims through a process that is often complex and not always victim-focused, ensuring they felt supported, informed, and respected throughout.

Sexual offending in the workplace whether physical, verbal or otherwise, is unacceptable. It can seriously affect victims’ wellbeing and performance at work. Complaints of this nature should be investigated independently to ensure employees have confidence that concerns are taken seriously and that such behaviour will not be tolerated.