Female firefighters in the North East have been caught up in a trend of harassment in the CFA, but a key women’s figure does not believe the problems are endemic.
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The leaked Interim Report on Gender Diversity and Inclusion report from 2016 this week revealed women had been sexually assaulted, bullied and harassed by their male colleagues.
Secretly recorded tapes of meetings between CFA headquarters staff obtained by Fairfax Media included discussions about "hot spots" of harassment and bullying in regional CFA districts.
On one recording, a female manager raised concerns about how in some regional districts "men are allowed to control their gaggle of girls like a rooster in a hen house".
CFA’s District 24 Women’s Reference Group held an event in August for female volunteers and staff and chairperson Marelle Whitaker said some raised issues about experiencing sexism.
“I don’t believe it’s endemic, there would be isolated incidents occurring. When that it happening, we do want to support them to find solutions,” she said.
“It is concerning that it is taking place.
“I hear of stories out and about when I talk to people.”
It is concerning that it is taking place.
- Marelle Whitaker, CFA Women’s Reference Group
Ms Whitaker had been involved in the CFA as a Chiltern volunteer and Rutherglen group officer for 13 years and said the reported harassment had never been her personal experience.
“I haven’t had any of those experiences, I’ve only had encouragement,” she said.
“I do understand it’s a traditionally male area in the past, but that’s changing.”
The reference group was encouraging more women to take on roles in the CFA and Ms Whitaker said many had signed up for the recent minimum skills course in Rutherglen.
“We have an important role to play,” she said.
“As a group, we do want to be able to tackle them if there are any problems out there.”
