Australian Minister Calls Rape Accuser "Lying Cow", Apologises Later

Brittany Higgins, staff at the Australian Parliament, recently made accusations about another Parliamentary Staff of rape. While speaking to the Guardian about it, she claimed that defence minister of Australia, Senator Linda Reynolds called her a "lying cow" after she made her accusations public.

This information came out a while after it happened on February 15 and Linda Reynolds tried to give an explanation for giving such remarks. Reynolds said that she never questioned the allegations made by Higgins and added, " I did however comment on news reports regarding surrounding circumstances that I felt had been misrepresented."

The Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison also gave his statement on the matter. He said that Reynolds "deeply regrets" making the remark, He said, "She apologised to the staff about making what were inappropriate comments, long before it became public". He added that Reynolds should have never made such "offensive" remarks.

When asked about Reynolds resignation, Morrison justified the remark by calling it a conversation that happened "in her private office in a stressful week".

Brittany Higgins while taking to the Guardian had said that the remark made by Reynolds "further evidence of the toxic workplace culture that exists behind closed doors in parliament house.”

Higgins has alleged that a senior colleague sexually assaulted her in her Linda Reynolds office in 2019. She had made a formal complaint in 2019 but later withdrew it fearing its impact. She went public with the allegation this year. The accused person was fired from Linda Reynolds' office a year after the alleged incident but for another reason.

Since Higgins decided to go public with the allegation, another person came forward who accused Australian attorney-general Christian Porter of rape. An anonymous letter was sent to Scott Morrison in which the details of the alleged assault were mentioned. Porter has denied resigning and Morrison said that the police investigation will decide if Porter is really guilty. Morrison said, "I have to make my decisions based on the process followed by the police. There is no other alternative for a prime minister than the rule of law".