About

Carolyn Pethick

Carolyn Pethick is a passionate advocate for ending workplace discrimination, bullying & harassment.

Carolyn is also passionate about not tipping the scales of justice in the opposite direction and discriminating against men.  It should never be about gender.  It should always be about equality.

For over 30 years, Carolyn Pethick proudly served with the Victorian Police. It was a job she loved, and she played a key role in every community she was part of. However, what most people didn’t know was that throughout these 30 years, she faced continual bullying, discrimination due to her gender, and sexual harassment. Unfortunately, the leaders who were supposed to support her did not.

Carolyn’s resilience and her willingness to challenge the injustices she encountered—often at great personal cost—are highlighted in her presentations and her book, “To Hell and Back: A Policewoman’s Story“. As a renowned keynote speaker, her talks emphasize the importance of encouraging both men and women to speak up and report discriminatory treatment they experience in the workplace. She also shares essential skills for building resilience in such situations.

Additionally, Carolyn educates offenders about the long-term effects their behaviors can have on their victims. It has become her mission to be the voice for those who cannot speak out for themselves.

“I could have remained in the Police Force and continued my career, but when the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s review into discrimination within Victoria Police was released, I knew I had to resign and become a champion for change,” Carolyn stated.

She advocates for the compensation promised to the hundreds of police officers who endured similar experiences to hers. In December 2015, the Chief Commissioner and the Premier publicly apologized to these officers and committed to ensuring they would be compensated, regardless of the cost. Years later, this promise has still not been fulfilled.

Bullying costs the Australian economy up to $36 billion each year, and it costs the Australian Education Department approximately $2.3 billion annually. This figure does not account for the psychological and physical damage inflicted on the victims.

Let’s stop this rot!

Carolyn is also a: