Re: Intimidation and harassment

[Sybille Sterk <sybille -at- BOFFIN -dot- BEYOND2000 -dot- CO -dot- UK>]

Deborah wrote:

>Harassment like this can happen to anyone, regardless of his/her age,
experience, education,
>or expertise.

This is soooo true! However, if it happens to you, it is a very personal
thing and after a while you wonder what's wrong with you because this can
happen to you... DON'T. This way leads to hell and without a return ticket!

[snip]

>My biggest mistake was that I didn't tell anyone.

This is true, also. I've been harassed and still am in some minor way and
at the beginning (when I had just started this job) I didn't tell anybody.
I rather went home to cry for the whole evening and get on my boyfriend's
nerves. In the end I went to the manager to tell him and ask him for help.
Dear oh Dear, did I feel bad about this. I went to the manager and felt
like a little child "telling". However, there was nothing else I could have
done, nor was I the first one he'd done that to.

People harass other people for different reasons, but they never are good
reasons and they usually make a habit of it. It seems to give them a kick,
buzz or whatever... I therefore think it is important to find out if other
colleagues are being harassed by this one person, too, and then do
something about it together. You are in a much stronger position then and a
boss is much more inclined to help you and do something about the
harassment, if there are other people to back up your story.

Good luck!

Sybille
Sybille Sterk
Technical Author and Translator (German)
Boffin Technology Ltd.

Email: Sybille -at- boffin -dot- beyond2000 -dot- co -dot- uk


 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=