Harassment in the workplace

Sexual harassment is an insidious form of bullying. Like all forms of bullying, the perpetrator relies on the fact that the victim will be too scared to come forward and speak out. They can ensure this by asserting some power over the victim, be it through brute force, emotional abuse or another form of manipulation. The workplace is no exception: the tool to ensure silence is seniority, influence or fear of ridicule.

The latest furore at Westminster has made companies (and government) really sit up and take notice. As we have seen, a domino effect has swept through Parliament bringing a number of sexual harassment perpetrators to account. This chain-reaction makes a very important point: victims are afraid to speak out alone, but once they realise others have been through the same experience, they feel more able to voice their own experiences of harassment.

To understand the mechanics of sexual harassment in the workplace, companies need to understand the power-dynamics at play. The two main reasons victims don’t speak out are:

1) they are worried that they may jeopardise their job/ job progression if they do, and

2) they may jeopardise their relationships and reputation with other employees.