We’ve seen the backlash over the weekend by senior lawyers and activists against a woman who claimed sexual assault by a Bar Council member- sending a chilling message to victims- despite the BC saying last month that sexual harassment victims must be brave enough to speak up. https://twitter.com/womensaidorg/status/1351333220768378881

What shocked me wasn’t the act, the #MeToo stories or the guy defending himself following the DARVO playbook. It was how senior lawyers and influencers publicly rallied round him and victim shamed. Some are known to be focusing eradicating sexual harassment in the Bar.

When victims of sexual harassment and bullying in the legal profession witness this, they feel that reporting their case to the Bar is not only doomed but would make them a target, adversely impacting their career. Stats from IBA #UsToo Report @IBAnews

This is why many survivors chose to stay silent, putting up with the harassment or leaving the profession altogether. The YLM (young lawyers) have a point. See IBA’s report on #UsToo.

DARVO by a perpetrator means Deny, Attack the victim, Reverse Victim (offender plays victim) and the original victim is painted as the Offender. We’ve seen Weinstein, R Kelly and others do this.

Toxic followers are those who attack the victim on behalf of the offender. When the offender is powerful - in politics, a celebrity, a CEO - we see members of that institution take on the role of toxic followers.

If senior members attack the victim, it taints the entire institution, even the Institution officially stays silent. This is why Uber, Teresa May’s Cabinet, @BFMradio had to act quickly when their senior people were accused - even though the legal process hadn’t started.

When a senior member of an institution is accused of harmful conduct, the institution needs to consider its values, protecting its broader constituents and what message it portrays by its conduct or inaction. @jjfreydcourage calls this Institutional Courage

Uber, the former UK government, BFM suspended the alleged offender/s even before investigations - assuring their constituents that they took sexual harassment seriously. Uber’s board member even had to resign for sexist remarks when discussing the CEO’s toxic conduct.

For the past few decades, the Malaysian Bar has acted courageously taking a stand against authoritarian governments, without fear or favour. What is the @malaysianbar's stand on sexual harassment today?

Clarification: he is not officially yet a Bar Council member but has been elected to be on the Council for the 2021/2 term which hasn't yet begun.