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Poor advice was more serious than a "momentary lapse in judgement"

An employer was entitled to reduce a supervisor's pay by nearly $20k after he "provided education" to subordinates about how to escape a sexual assault.

In February 2021, Queensland Ambulance Service found the clinical support officer had made two inappropriate statements when facilitating a training course the previous year. These statements were along the lines of:

  • "If a guy is coming at you, girls can lift their shirt and it will stop them in their track as they'll be too busy gawking at your breasts that she could then react"; and
  • "If out around town and a male was about to sexually assault you, all you have to do is lift your skirt and invite the perpetrator to rape you. Whilst the perpetrator has his pants around his ankles, it will give you the [chance] to run and escape".

The employee disputed the wording, but conceded that he had a conversation with the four participants about distraction and stopping an attack. He allegedly told the employer that his intention wasn't to offend, rather he was "providing education"...

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