Muslim bus driver was ‘raped by work colleague and ignored by Christian boss who told her she was westernised so wanted it’
Woman tells employment tribunal she was told not to speak about multiple rapes
A FEMALE Muslim bus driver has claimed she was raped by a work colleague and then ignored by her Christian supervisor who told her she was "westernised so wanted it".
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told an employment tribunal she was raped on numerous occasions but when she confided in a supervisor she was told not to speak out as she would be the "talk of the garage".
She told the supervisor's superiors about the alleged assaults after having an accident at the depot because she forgot to apply a handbrake.
But, she claims that for a second time her allegations against a Muslim colleague were ignored, and she was sacked for negligence and breaching safety rules.
The firm had offered her another job, which involved working nights, but she claims she turned it down because she was too frightened to work unsociable hours.
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The woman is suing the bus firm, her supervisor and operations director, for public interest disclosure, sex discrimination and unfair dismissal.
Her witness statement read: ";I became the victim of a series of sexual assaults and rape during March 2015.
"In the early hours of Thursday 5 March, I was raped by a work colleague, a bus driver."
She said the next day her supervisor saw she was upset and persuaded her to tell him what was wrong, but then told her she should not tell anyone else.
She claims: "He repeatedly asked me graphic details for instance 'what sexual position did he use when you guys made love?"
The woman also alleges her supervisor described her alleged attacker as a "hot-blooded and a passion-driven man" adding "he would talk to me in a way to convince me that his actions were normal for every man".
"He said 'you need to forgive him so he can repent - remember you are the bigger person here because you didn't go to the police and report him'."
The woman had her accident a month after the alleged attacks and claims her supervisor advised her not to tell superiors.
But before an appeal against her dismissal, the woman told the operations director about the abusive relationship in a "protected disclosure".
She said she told the operations director: "It was a 'cultural thing' where he had complete power and control over me.
"He was violent towards me and he scared me. He wouldn't leave me alone.
"He forced me to have sex with him and do things with him without my consent."
In June 2015 she reported the rape allegations to police at which point she claims "The supervisor said 'why didn't you tell me before going to the Police?'
"'You are westernised so you wanted it. You are intelligent, so you wasn't brainwashed by him.'"
The garage operations manager told the tribuna the woman has been dismissed because of negligence and a failure to observe safety rules, and there had been no sexual discrimination.
The supervisor said the woman had spoken of having "rough" sex with her alleged attacker and added "At no stage did she mention rape or make any inference that she had been raped.
"She was quite open about sex when she spoke to me. I took this to mean that she felt comfortable and relaxed with me."
The operations director confirmed the woman had informed her about being raped by a driver.
But it was claimed the woman made no mention of her supervisor knowing about the rapes at the appeal hearing.
A judge is expected to deliver a judgement later in the week.
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