Former political staffer Brittany Higgins has reached a settlement with the Commonwealth on her claim of sexual assault by Bruce Lehrmann, who denies the charges, at Parliament House.
The confidential settlement follows the abandonment of the first trial related to jury misconduct, and of the second because of concerns about Higgins’ mental health.
Higgins’ complaint and the subsequent trial drew unprecedented media coverage, with Higgins facing daily questioning from journalists and paparazzi about her version of events on the night in question.
It is estimated that 75% of sexual assaults are never reported. At the same time, the majority of women, or men, know the offender.
Part of the reason for underreporting is that women fear they will not be believed and/or they do not feel able to undergo the complaint process.