Ruginienė calls for zero tolerance over sexual abuse scandals

Social Security and Labour Minister Inga Ruginienė has called for a stronger civic response to recent sexual abuse scandals, saying society must defend victims. LRT reported that she made the comments in an interview with Žinių radijas.

“Should not such cases really provoke a more active civic position and a clearer drawing of the red line, saying that we have zero tolerance for people who dare to act against human dignity and safety and humiliate another person?” Ruginienė said.

She was asked about the situation in women’s basketball after a FIBA investigation into Rimantas Grigas, head coach of Lithuania’s women’s national team. Grigas was suspended from all basketball-related activities until October 2030.

Ruginienė said it was painful that institutions in Lithuania had failed to recognise and hear the women’s accounts. She said reports of inappropriate behaviour by the coach appeared to have been pushed aside.

An earlier investigation by a commission of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation, now the association Lietuvos krepšinis, said it had found no indications of sexual harassment in testimonies submitted by former players coached by Grigas. However, he was given a warning over possible violations concerning communication with players and the organisation of his coaching work.

“What angers me most is that, in addition to too little reaction and attention from responsible institutions, society for some reason also demonstrates tolerance toward such cases,” Ruginienė said. She added that sexual harassment at work and during training had almost become the norm.