Recent revelations have exposed an epidemic of sexual harassment in Australia’s parliament, centered around Scott Morrison’s coalition government. We have learned of an alleged rape that took place in a ministerial office. Other ministers have engaged in extra-marital affairs with female staff before going on to bully and harass those women out of their jobs.

And just this week, details were made public of the horrific rape of a sixteen-year-old girl, allegedly committed in 1988 by Australia’s current attorney general, Christian Porter.

When Porter faced the media to address the allegations, he presented himself as the victim, insisting on a due process that is routinely denied to women subjected to abuse and assault. If he were to resign, Porter said, “there wouldn’t be much need for an attorney general anyway, because there would be no rule of law left to protect in this country.”