Call to amend sexual harassment laws
Thursday, September 4th, 2008Carol Nader; 4/9/08
Students would be able to make complaints of sexual harassment against teachers and older students from other schools, under a push by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner to strengthen federal laws. As the Federal Government reviews the 25-year-old Sex Discrimination Act, Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick has also urged the Government to amend the legislation to give greater protection to younger students. Ms Broderick said there were situations in which students and teachers from different schools mingled, such as school formals, sports carnivals and musicals. But a student who felt he or she had been the victim of sexual harassment by a teacher or student from another school was not legally protected. This is so in federal and Victorian legislation.
