Lidia Thorpe has doubled down on her allegations she was sexually assaulted under parliamentary privilege, claiming she was ‘followed aggressively, propositioned and inappropriately touched’ – but insisted she would not make a complaint with police.

The Independent senator tearfully said she never spoke publicly about her alleged experience because it was at the same time that Brittany Higgins had come forward.

She told the Senate she did not want to take away from Ms Higgins’ experience, and placed her faith in the Liberal party that her complaint was being taken seriously.

It comes after she first made the incendiary claims against Senator David Van in the Senate on Wednesday afternoon, only to formally withdraw four hours later in order to comply with standing orders.

On Thursday, she said: ‘When I started, I was a new Senator. As all women who have walked the corridors of this building know, it was not a safe place.

‘You are often alone in long corridors, with no windows, in stairwells hidden from view where there are no cameras.’ 

Ms Thorpe went on to state she was propositioned ‘by powerful men and approached in the stairwell, where there are no cameras’.

She said there are ‘different understandings of what amounts to sexual assault’ and that when she raised her complaint with the government of the day – the Coalition – ‘it was recognised as such’.

‘I was afraid to walk out of the office door. I would open it slightly and make sure the coast was clear before stepping out,’ she said. ‘I had to be accompanied by someone – that is how the Greens supported me and I thank them for that.’ 

Ms Thorpe told the Senate she was sure the Prime Minister, then Scott Morrison, had been informed. He said in a statement on Wednesday he did not recall. 

‘I was convinced the government believed me… My faith in the Liberal party was not the right decision. 

‘Until yesterday, I thought they took the issue seriously.’

Ms Thorpe said ‘silence is violence’, noting she was prompted to speak out on Wednesday when she realised Mr Van ‘had the gall to stand up in parliament’ to address the Brittany Higgins complaint. 

Just hours earlier, Senator Van had vehemently denied her allegations for the third time – conceding, however, that he had moved offices after she made complaints.

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Mr Van said Ms Thorpe raised allegations then ‘through her leadership to our leadership’ that he closely ‘followed her into the chamber’ in 2021, and that left her feeling ‘uncomfortable’.

Mr Van said bumping into her in the corridors of parliament as they made their way into the Senate was unavoidable given the proximity of their offices. 

‘At times I’ve been in front of her, at times I have been behind her, but at no time did I harass her… I barely even said hello.’

In response to Ms Thorpe’s complaint, Mr Van said he was ‘offered another office’ further away from hers and accepted. 

Former prime minister Scott Morrison said in a statement he had no recollection of the incident.

Ms Thorpe spoke up about the two-year-old encounter after Mr Van made a statement about the handling of Brittany Higgins’ sexual assault complaint.

She told the Senate under parliamentary privilege: ‘I just want to relay I’m feeling really uncomfortable when a perpetrator is speaking about violence…’ 

‘This person harassed me, sexually assaulted me, and the prime minister had to remove him from his office. 

‘And to have him talking about this today is an absolute disgrace! On the whole party.’ 

Mr Van categorically denied the allegations – immediately afterward in the Senate, several hours later in a media statement and again this morning on 2GB.

‘I can say I think with some surety the only time I’ve ever even touched her would have been shaking her hand after her maiden speech. 

‘I have not harassed her in any way, shape or form.’ 

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk