Brittany Higgins alleged rape encourages more women to come forward with sexual assault allegations

The intense publicity surrounding Brittany Higgins’s alleged rape in a ministerial office has prompted a surge of women reporting sexual assault to police in the nation’s capital.

The ABC can reveal some of the fresh claims relate to alleged incidents at Parliament House, while others reportedly occurred within the public service.

The accusations are directed at different perpetrators, however two formal complaints have now been lodged against the former Liberal staffer alleged to have raped Ms Higgins on the couch of the current Defence Minister Linda Reynolds in March, 2019.

Police are yet to speak to the man, who is a dual national. Government sources say he will not be allowed to leave the country.

The ABC has spoken to a few other…