The boss of a Melbourne law firm has allegedly been sending sexually offensive text messages to a younger female colleague. The married, senior lawyer at a CBD legal firm also sent images of his erected penis to the woman.
The Guardian reported that the woman's lawyers are bringing the complaints to the Australian Human Rights Commission. The lawyers stated that when the woman ignored her boss's messages, his actions towards her got worse. According to the lawyers, the female victim was diagnosed with stress and other anxiety-related health conditions after she was harassed by her boss.
The harassment went on for seven months last year, until the woman decided not to go back to work.
"In addition to telling her boss directly that his behaviour made her feel uncomfortable, complaints about his conduct to the firm's practice manager and other principal lawyers were fobbed off," said Maurice Blackburn. "She claims an apparent lack of workplace policies and training in relation to sexual harassment, discrimination, occupational health and safety and bullying appears to have enabled the inappropriate behaviour to continue."
The Age Victoria posted some of the text messages the boss sent to his female employee. In the text messages, he said he finds her "seriously hot." He also said, "I'm thinking about you and your legs and everything else and it's driving me mad." He even texted her that he wanted to "fuck you madly," and sent her images of his erected penis.
News wrote that when the woman ignored the offensive texts from her boss, he would become more abusive. The boss would throw his phone at her and tell her that he is the boss and he pays her wages. He said, "You don't tell me what you do and don't do."
Maurice Blackburn said the woman is now seeking for damages, lost earnings, and medical expenses. He considers the texts "predatory" and that he and his colleagues are shocked and angered by the incident.
