Brittany Higgins, the former Liberal Party staffer who alleged she was raped in Parliament House by a colleague, has, alongside Australian of the Year and marie claire cover star Grace Tame and activist Chanel Contos, become the voice of a revolution in recent months—giving voice to women across the nation who no longer choose to be silenced.
On April 13, Higgins announced plans to publish a memoir to share her experiences working inside the “halls of power”, with half of the profits going to a rape crisis centre in Canberra.
“It is an absolute honour to sign with @penguinbooksaus and join the ranks of their many esteemed writers,” Higgins shared to her social media.
“I’m proud to commit half of the royalties for each book sold to the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre who were a lifeline for me in the wake of my experience.
“I feel privileged to be afforded the opportunity to share the story of my time inside Parliament House to readers.
“This book will shine a light on the toxic workplace culture inside the corridors of power and provide a firsthand account of what it was like surviving a media storm that turned into a movement.”
Penguin Random House Australia announced it would be publishing Higgins memoir next year.
“This is the personal account of a young woman who took on the most formidable institution in the country, spoke truth to power and sparked a reckoning with systemic abuse that will be felt for years to come,” the publisher said in a statement, per SBS.
“Brittany’s story, in her own words, will be a call for desperately needed reform, and a watershed moment for Australian women in public life.”
Last month, Higgins joined the March 4 Justice rally outside Parliament House in Canberra, where she addressed the many protesters who had come out to support the conversation sparked by her allegation.
“This isn’t a political problem. This is a human problem,” she told the crowd. “We’ve all learnt over the past few weeks just how common gendered violence is in this country. It’s time our leaders on both sides of politics stop avoiding the subject and side-stepping accountability. It’s time we actually address the problem.”
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.
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