The Australian Federal Police embarked on the first step of what will likely be a long, difficult and, at times, frustrating journey when it commissioned former sex discrimination commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, to review its workplace culture.
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That culture, it was revealed in her report on Monday, is very toxic, particularly if you happen to be a female.
Damning findings included the revelation up to 46 per cent of women in both sworn and unsworn roles had experienced sexual harassment and that bullying was a part of the day-to-day working experience for both sexes.
On the upside, the AFP is not the first major organisation to have begun this journey. It is also unlikely to be the last.
Ms Broderick, in addition to her work as sex discrimination commissioner, conducted the comprehensive reviews into the Australian Defence Force Academy and broader attitudes towards women within the ADF in the wake of the Skype scandal.
Her reports, and the recommendations they contained, set Defence on the path towards greater self-awareness and cultural and structural change.
If the AFP chooses to follow that example, and there is every indication it will, noticeable progress should be achieved quickly.
While the ADF is still far from perfect, as a string of recent social media scandals and cause celebres attest, there is much greater awareness of gender diversity and appropriate conduct now than five years ago.
Other organisations that have met these challenges head-on are the testosterone-rich Australian Football League and National Rugby League.
Both, which have been rocked over the years by horrific incidents in which elite players displayed an appalling lack of sensitivity towards women and an ignorance of appropriate conduct that beggared belief, have been working in this area since before the start of the current decade.
While last year's sorry incident involving a player simulating sex with a dog indicated there was still much to be achieved, the consensus opinion at the time was some people were "education proof".
It is to be hoped that there aren't too many of those in the AFP.
Of more immediate concern to Canberrans is the fact ACT Policing, a branch of the AFP, has suffered badly as a result of the blokey culture documented by Ms Broderick.
Women only make up 35 per cent of the local force, with the proportion in front line policing even lower than that.
It's hard to say your organisation is made up of society's best and the brightest when it is patently obvious your workplace culture is such that 50 per cent of the population are dissuaded from joining it.
That was one of the issues that focused the attention of former chief of army, David Morrison, who told misogynists they could either change or leave.
Similar strong leadership by high-ranking champions, including Commissioner Andrew Colvin, is essential to driving cultural change within the AFP.
