Woman sues for alleged sexual harassment at famous Bondi pool
A woman is suing Bondi Icebergs Club pool alleging she was sexually harassed in the venue’s unisex sauna.
She is seeking $20,000 compensation claiming other members repeatedly leered and perved on her and staff allegedly did nothing to protect her.
She also claims the club suspended her when she complained about the harassment, reports The Daily Telegraph.
Woman sues for alleged sexual harassment
Camilla Theakstone, 28, has filed a sex discrimination complaint in the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Documents show that Ms Theakstone is seeking damages for “legal costs, hurt and humiliation and reputational damage” she suffered when the club responded to her complaint by telling her she wasn’t welcome back.
“I also seek the Club immediately overturn my suspension and take immediate steps to stop and prevent unlawful, discriminatory behaviour within the Club,” the documents state.
Ms Theakstone told the Commission it is well-known around Bondi Beach that the Icebergs Club is “very creepy”.
‘Very creepy’
Ms Theakstone is a regular user of the sauna and pool, and alleges a “deeply embedded culture of misogyny and sexual entitlement towards women” exists in the unisex sauna.
She told the Commission it is well-known around Bondi Beach that the Icebergs Club is “very creepy”.
“One woman who also regularly attends the sauna one day said to me: ‘That place is so creepy – I feel so sorry for you, you have such a good body and whenever you enter the sauna, all the men stop talking and just stare at you. It must be horrible’,” she wrote in her submission to the AHRC.
She claims an older man said to her in the sauna: “Everyone who is here is here because they want a body like yours” while pointing up and down her body and “leering at me”.
“It made me feel uncomfortable and objectified. All the men in the sauna then started leering at my body.”
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Other complaints
Ms Theakstone also claimed that a club worker had perved on her at the beach.
In the past four years, Ms Theakstone has applied for AVOs against four men.
Two of the applications were dismissed, another was granted without admissions by the man named and a fourth was granted.
Club denies claims
Meanwhile, a spokesman told The Daily Telegraph this is the first time the club had received a complaint of this nature.
“Everyone who comes to Bondi Icebergs is treated exactly the same with dignity and respect,” he said.
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