Female police officers 'raped, drugged and sexually harassed by colleagues': report

Victoria Police has been rocked by a report that has lifted the veil on a culture of 'bullying, harassment and predatory sexual behaviour'.

Female officers have been raped, drugged and forced to fend off unwanted sexual advances from their colleagues while on duty.

Some were driven to secluded spots, under the guise of speed limit enforcement duty, where they were pressured to engage in sexual activities.

The cases are in a Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission report that found women were more likely to experience sexual harassment inside Victoria Police than in the wider community.

“Some of the stories that you will hear in the report are shocking," Human Rights Commissioner Kate Jenkins said.

Of the 5,000 sworn female members surveyed by the commission, 40 per cent said they had experienced harassment.

"They saw young women like me as fresh blood. You felt like a piece of meat," one female officer was quoted saying in the report.

Women are not only subject to lewd jokes, but preyed on by their superiors.

"They are young and vulnerable. The young girls are eager to please... So it is like Christmas to a predator,” said one officer.

"She got a lift home with a colleague... He pushed her into the house and raped her. Then he boasted about it in the mess room the next day,” read another horrifying statement.

Only 11 per cent of the victims said they had complained.

Assistant commissioner Luke Cornelius said fear of reprisal, concern about a lack of support and concern about repercussions in the workplace, prevented more women from complaining.

The findings prompted chief commissioner Graham Ashton to 'unreservedly' apologise and insist there is no room for that in Victoria Police.

“Unreservedly, I apologise formally and personally for the discrimination and harassment that has occurred to our employees.

"Victoria Police will never be the same again following this report - there will be no turning back from this point," he said.

He said that officers guilty of predatory behaviour would be sacked.

This is the biggest report into organisational sexual harassment outside the US military.

The first recommendation in the report is a compensation fund for victims. The others mostly focus on strengthening complaints and reporting procedures and changing culture.

Victoria Police accepted all 20 recommendations and will implement them over the next three to five years

The unacceptable behaviour, which has already tarnished the Victoria Police brand, could also cost the force tens of millions of dollars.

Victims could receive up to $50,000 each in compensation.

Starting today police have set up a complaints hotline outside the chain of command.

News break – December 9