Lawyers for Brittany Higgins will launch lawsuits against former Liberal ministers and Higgins’ former employers Linda Reynolds and Michaelia Cash as well as the Commonwealth for a total of about $3 million in compensation.
The criminal case against Bruce Lehrmann, charged with raping Higgins while they were both Liberal staffers in parliament in 2019, was dropped on Friday but Higgins’ lawyers will go ahead with the civil case this month.
Documents described to The Age reportedly outlined Higgins’ lawyers notice to sue for sexual harassment, gender discrimination, disability discrimination, negligence and victimisation.
The compensation they will seek covers $2.5 million for future economic loss, $100,000 of past economic loss, $100,000 for general damages, $200,000 for future assistance with domestic duties and $150,000 for extra out-of-pocket expenses.
Senator Reynolds confirmed that she was advised of the lawsuit in March this year but that the proceedings had not yet been filed.
“I confirm that I was advised in March this year by Blumers law firm, who act for Brittany Higgins, of a civil claim by Ms Higgins against me and other parties,” Reynolds said.
“Blumers advised me on Friday that their client intends to progress the civil claim this month.”
The date for mediation between the parties has been set for December 13.
Lehrmann had pleaded not guilty to raping Higgins in Senator Reynolds’ office in Parliament House in the early hours of March 23, 2019 while they were both on her staff.
Higgins later left her job with Reynolds to take another job with Senator Cash.
Lehrmann’s original trial in October this year had to be aborted and the entire jury discharged after outside material not heard by the court was found in the jury room, which meant the trial would have to begin all over again with a new jury.
The ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold announced on Friday morning that the charges against Lehrmann would be dropped and a second trial would not proceed due to concerns for Higgins’ mental health.
“Whilst the pursuit of justice is essential for both my office and for the community in general, the safety of a complainant in a sexual assault matter must be paramount,” he said.
“In light of the compelling independent medical opinion and balancing all factors, I have made the difficult decision that it is no longer in the public interest to pursue a prosecution at the risk of the complainant’s life.”
Drumgold concluded by saying he had never seen such personal attacks levelled at a complainant in his career.
“Ms Higgins has faced a level of personal attack that I have not seen in over 20 years of doing this work. She has done so with bravery, grace and dignity and it is my hope that this will now stop and Ms Higgins will be allowed to heal.”
Higgins published a statement on social media at the weekend and thanked her supporters but said it was “very obvious who has been on trial.”
“He [Lehrmann] hasn’t had to be publicly accountable — for his actions or any part of his story,” Higgins wrote.
“This is the reality of how complainants in sexual assault cases are treated.”
Lehrmann has not yet spoken publicly since the charges against him were dropped but he is reportedly also contemplating legal remedies.
Help is available.
If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
If you’d like to speak to someone about sexual violence, please call the 1800 Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
