Palace-of-westminster-at-dawn (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If the recent media coverage is accurate, women in the Palace of Westminster need to keep their wits about them.  Part of the story is that some of the older Members of Parliament have old fashioned or chauvinistic views.  The rest of the story is that they are a law to themselves.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/mar/02/oona-king-tessa-jowell-sexism-westminster

Holding the post of honourable, or right honourable, member puts you outside the reach of employment law apparently.  Misbehaviour becomes an issue for the Whips to address.  It seems that there is no Human Resources section to defer to either.

Coaching junior staff to confidently establish a professional set of boundaries for themselves, is probably quite important now.   Less harassment may result when there is a clear understanding of an indivdual’s boundaries,  and the consequences of crossing them.

Equally, coaching more senior colleagues to understand the damage they do to their organisation – if they misbehave – is definitely desirable.  Perhaps at the moment too many senior people think they can chance their luck, without consequences.

It should not matter if the person, allegedly, at fault is a Peer of the Realm, or a Cardinal in the Church in Scotland .  Making unwelcome advances to work colleagues is not acceptable.