Lizette Risgaard is criticized for apologizing in a MeToo case mentioned in her book.

Lizette Risgaard faces criticism after admitting regret in MeToo case

Lizette Risgaard is not aware of her own power, according to a consultant. However, Risgaard insists that she has the right to her own version.

Risgaard has today published the book 'My Version'. A part of the book deals with the issues that led to her leaving her top position in the Trade Union Confederation (FH). (Photo: © Emil Nicolai Helms, Ritzau Scanpix)

Risgaard now regrets coming with an apology in connection with the allegations against her in 2023. She writes about this in her new book 'My Version', which is released today.

The case resulted in her having to leave her position as chair of the FH.

- It was a completely dreadful process. That's why I think there should be some more nuances about the time when I, with a little good will, could say that I was on thin ice. There was not much peace to listen to what I said, and that's why it's important for me to write 'My Version', where nuances come out, she told 'P1 Morgen'.

In her Facebook post from April 27, Risgaard wrote that she had acted unprofessionally as a leader. And that she had not been aware of her own position and the power that naturally comes with it.

Additionally, she wrote that it is always the injured party who defines when one has crossed the line. And that she therefore apologized.

It was exactly this principle that was agreed upon in a three-party settlement in 2022 in connection with MeToo. But it is also this principle that Risgaard now puts up for debate with her new book.

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Investigation: Three incidents with sexual undertones

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In an investigation into the allegations, the FH examined 25 cases. In five of the cases, it could be proven that physical contact had occurred, while in three cases, the contact was assessed as unwanted and had sexual undertones.

This led the then acting chair of the FH to conclude ( https://fho.dk/blog/2023/08/03/conclusions-from-advocate-investigation/ ) that Risgaard had behaved inappropriately. At the same time, he emphasized that one case was one case too many.

The FH chose not to make the full advocate report public, but instead published a summary.

However, Risgaard says that she only came forward with an apology to keep FH together.

Read also: FH allows Lizette Risgaard to continue on powerful board positions ( https://www.dr.dk/news/latest/fh-allows-lizette-risgaard-to-continue-on-powerful-board-positions )

- I'm really sorry about the three proven cases, and I have never had any intentions of touching anyone in intimate areas or in a way that had sexual undertones. And I stand by that, Risgaard says.

She points out that the Labor Inspectorate was not involved in the case, and that the cases that attracted media attention were rejected in the advocate investigation.

So it sounded from Risgaard back in April 2023:

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MeToo consultant: She is not aware of her power

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In the book, Risgaard describes a case where a subordinate felt disrespected. The case is described by Risgaard in the book as completely out of this world.

But Mille Mortensen disagrees. She is an independent MeToo researcher and consultant and points out that the labor movement itself has been instrumental in creating the rules in this area from the three-party agreement in 2022.

Morten Skov Christiansen is now the chair of FH. (Photo: © Ida Marie Odgaard, Ritzau Scanpix)

She says that it is completely irrelevant what Risgaard herself thinks happened. What is decisive, she says, is whether the injured party feels that they have been wronged.

- There is black on white in our labor law legislation that the intentions behind the behavior are subordinate, she says and points to the fact that the definition of right lies with the injured party.

She also believes that Risgaard's lack of awareness of her power is evident when she describes one of the cases as 'completely out of this world', as the power relationship is unequal between her and the injured party.

- Regardless of whether she holds a top position or not, it requires that one is aware of the power one has, she says.

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