Brittany Higgins has spoken out following the sacking of an Adelaide radio broadcaster who labelled her a “silly little girl” and questioned her sexual assault allegations.
FiveAA breakfast host David Penberthy today announced that 75-year-old Jeremy Cordeaux’s employment had been “terminated”.
Ms Higgins alleges she was raped by a fellow staffer inside the office of Defence Minister Linda Reynolds in Parliament House in 2019.
During his weekend breakfast show, Cordeaux said Prime Minister Scott Morrison should have rejected her allegations.
“I just ask myself why the prime minister doesn’t call it out for what it is. A silly little girl who got drunk,” Cordeaux said.
“If this girl has been raped, why hasn’t the guy who raped her been arrested? Apparently everyone knows his name.”
Cordeaux also questioned why security guards at Parliament let Ms Higgins and the man into Senators Reynolds office.
Ms Higgins took to twitter to share her thoughts on Cordeaux’s departure.
“I’m grateful to (Nova) and (FiveAA) for standing up for the one in five Australian women who will experience sexual assault in their lifetime,” she wrote.
“I politely disagree Mr Cordeaux. No, I do not deserve to have my “bottom smacked”.
“This rhetoric isn’t helpful especially given the cultural reckoning about consent that is taking place across the country. Instead of seeking to modify the behaviour of victims, let’s try to address how we can deter perpetrators of sexual crimes.”
In a statement read on air this morning, the station apologised “unreservedly” to Ms Higgins and withdrew the comments “without reservation”.
“We acknowledge that the comments were completely inappropriate and offensive,” Penberthy said.
“The views expressed by Jeremy Cordeaux do not reflect those held by FiveAA and Nova Entertainment and we unequivocally withdraw them.”
Earlier this month, Senator Reynolds apologised to Ms Higgins for calling her a “lying cow” and made a confidential damages payout that was donated to charity.
This content first appear on 9news