In a disturbing case that highlights the inadequacy of legal protections for vulnerable workers, a Sydney cleaning company owner has been sentenced to a mere two years and nine months in prison for raping an 18-year-old employee on her very first day on the job.
The perpetrator, whose identity remains protected due to legal reasons, lured the young woman into an “office party” where he plied her with alcohol before sexually assaulting her in his office. The court heard how the man repeatedly encouraged the teenager to drink, despite her stating that she had only eaten an apple that day and rarely consumed alcohol.
After witnessing the victim vomit from excessive alcohol consumption, the man led her into his office, removed her clothes, and raped her. During the assault, the victim’s older sister called multiple times, but the perpetrator ignored her pleas to speak to her sister and continued the attack.
Despite overwhelming evidence, including semen, blood, and saliva found at the crime scene, the man continued to deny the charges and showed no remorse for his actions. Judge Michael King acknowledged the perpetrator’s knowledge of the victim’s incapacitation and lack of consent, stating that “she became, in effect, frozen and unable to move and wasn’t aware of what was happening.”
The victim, traumatized by the assault, bravely confronted her abuser over the phone, but he continued to deny any wrongdoing. She and her sister reported the crime to the police, leading to the man’s arrest and subsequent conviction.
The lenient sentence of two years and nine months has sparked outrage and disbelief. Critics argue that it fails to reflect the severity of the crime and sends a dangerous message that sexual assault in the workplace is tolerated. The judge’s acknowledgment that the perpetrator is likely to be deported after serving his sentence offers little comfort to the victim, who will bear the scars of this horrific experience for life.
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