Back in September 2016 I posted a piece on Sexual Harassment and 20 indicators of the problem. (You can access the article by trawling through my past blogs.) Doubtless there are victims everywhere. In fact there are more victims than HR will get to see for reason that many do not report. Victims are always confused, embarrassed, shocked. They carry feelings of shame and even may blame themselves for the violation of their person. Most victims just do not know what to do. Overwhelmed by grief and suffering each is suddenly in uncharted waters. Torn between the want to expose the perpetrator and the consequences of doing so they are frozen in a state of perpetual chaos. The incident permeates their personal and professional life and almost always negatively impacts their on the job performance. The victim needs support. Sometimes they may not seek it or even reject it. The incident, in my view, is a call to action. HR needs to be proactive and to give victims a framework for proceeding with a complaint. So here are the 20 things a victim needs to do or to contemplate :
Victims, when calling out the behavior get to notice that those very feelings that consumed them are suddenly migrated to the perpetrator. Even though the perpetrator may deny, excuse, downplay or mitigate the matter they invariably experience those emotions that overwhelmed the victim. Mostly they feel bad – about being exposed. Call it karma, just deserts or pay back, it happens. Yet neither victim nor perpetrator will ever be the same again.
Finally, to those who remained mute when observing appalling incidents of harassment you should suffer too, for you also can never be the same again. Shame; yet your pain is self inflicted.
Excellent advice. These points could also be used in relation to workplace bullying.
I would also consider:
As a former Sexual Harassment Referral Officer, it should also be noted that a support person may have to report issues involving official misconduct or misconduct and this in itself may impact on whether or not an individual will report sexual harassment or even bullying.
Whilst sexual harassment may not fall under health and safety legislation, there are health and safety implications with the potential for a target to suffer physical or psychological injuries (not to mention financial distress). Given that duty of care obligations extends to targets and alleged harassers (bullies), individuals need to be provided with training that helps them provide a proactive and reactive response to reduce the risk of becoming a target, and also in responding to incidents. In some organisations, Codes of Conduct may also provide an avenue that should be pursued in particular, about the need to treat people with respect and dignity. In my experience, training sessions gloss over this aspect.
It is difficult to call out behaviour when the workplace culture tolerates such behaviours to the point of acceptance and that by calling out such behaviours, one becomes labelled as a 'troublemaker' or 'not a team player'. However, that does not mean that the behaviour should not be called out. In fact, I would suggest that everytime an incident occurs, the behaviours needed to be addressed.
Reporting sexual harassment and even bullying may be a difficult process to go through. However, if no-one is prepared to take a stand, more people will suffer.
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