PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORKPLACE

DEFINITION
Sexual Harassment is a form of gender discrimination that involves -unwelcomed sexual advances, -requests for sexual favors, -verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Categories of Sexual Harassment

- Verbal - Nonverbal
- Physical Contact

Sexual Harassment Categories

Verbal examples can include -telling jokes, -using threats, -sexually oriented calls, -sexual comments, -whistling in a sexually suggestive manner.

Sexual Harassment Categories

Verbal Verbal Sexual harassment may also include terms such as honey, babe, sweetheart, dear, etc.

Sexual Harassment Categories

Nonverbal may include staring at someone (I.e. undressing someone with ones eyes), blowing kisses, winking, or licking of ones lips in a suggestive manner.

Sexual Harassment Categories Cont

Nonverbal may also include displaying sexually oriented pictures, cartoons, using sexually oriented screen savers.

Sexual Harassment Categories

Physical Contact may include touching, patting, pinching, bumping, grabbing, cornering or blocking a passageway, kissing, providing unsolicited back or neck rubs.

IMPACT ON VICTIM*
Psychological Effects - decrease self-esteem and self confidence - Difficulties with trust - Depression, Anxiety, Fear of rape - Increased fear of crime in general - Seemingly, Contradictory emotional responses to the harassment

IMPACT ON VICTIM*
Health-related Effects -Headaches, neck, and back pain - Gastrointestinal disturbances - Tiredness/fatigue - Sleep Disturbances - Weight Loss and appetite loss - Dental related problems

IMPACT ON VICTIM*
Ways victim may handle or cope with Sexual Harassment - Detachment minimize situation - Denial - pretend it is not happening - Relabeling offers excuses for the harasser - Avoidance Quitting a job, frequent leave, appointments, etc.

IMPACT AT WORK PLACE*

- Decreases Morale - Decreases productivity - Impacts the Organization Negatively

How do we identify workplace bullying and harassment?*

I was only mucking around! I was just trying to make him work harder. Cant she take a joke? She was asking for it

If you are unsure, ask yourself, does the persons behaviour, whether verbal or nonverbal:
Offend, frustrate, demean, isolate or intimidate? Reduce a persons status, make them feel powerless? Reflect on the way you would like to be treated?

Examples of workplace bullying and harassment*

Physical-physical contact, assault Verbal-yelling, screaming, offensive language, insults Non-verbal-mimicking, making fun of attributes, tampering, displaying written or pictorial material Professional-isolating, ignoring, undermining, denying, overworking, threats N.B. Just because a person is not objecting out loud (to jokes and behaviour) doesnt mean they like it.

Some reasons why bullying and harassment might occur?*

Poor people management practices and skills micromanagement. Dubious initiation practices. Pressures of workplace- tight deadlines. Low self esteem, feeling threatened, competition for promotion. Lack of policy Workplace culture main reason bullies exist in an organisation.

Effects of Bullying and Harassment*

Bullying and harassment can have a detrimental impact on both the organisation and individual employees. Effects on employees can include: Psychological illness eg stress, depression, anxiety Physiological illness such as nausea, headaches and migraines, fatigue. Effects on the organisation can include: Increased costs due to absenteeism, staff turnover, workcover premiums, law suits, fines, compensation. Negative publicity, difficulty in attracting or retaining quality staff, Employees who are concentrating on bullying others, or avoiding being bullied are not concentrating on doing their jobs well and are not 100% productive.