Let's start by defining workplace harassment, also known as moral harassment, and very frequently through the English term mobbing ('harassing', 'harassing', 'cornering in a group'), it is both the action of a harasser or harassers conducive to producing fear or terror in the affected worker towards their workplace, such as the effect or illness it produces in the worker.
This person or group of people receive unjustified psychological violence through negative and hostile acts at work by their colleagues, subordinates (vertical ascending) or superiors (vertical descending or the traditional bossing), in a systematic and recurrent way, during a long time, over months and even years. The ultimate aim of this harassment, intimidation or disturbance is the abandonment of work by the victim or victims.
Despite the absence of a specific definition of Mobbing, it could be said that it is “that situation in which a person or, sometimes, a group of people, exert extreme psychological violence, in a systematic and recurrent way, and for a time prolonged, on another person or persons in the workplace in order to destroy the communication networks of the victim or victims, destroy their reputation, disrupt the performance of their work and finally achieve that person or persons end up leaving the position of job".
There are effects on the victim's employment status because the rejection affects or jeopardizes their hiring, promotion, promotion, health or well-being, or other aspects of their working conditions.
The International Labor Organization understands sexual harassment as a practice of discrimination based on sex and draws attention to the need that "policies that promote equality must entail the adoption of measures aimed at combating and preventing such harassment" (cited in Serna, 1994).
Sexual harassment practices affect a significant number of female workers in almost all countries. A study by the International Labor Organization in 23 industrialized countries, in which the proportion of women workers affected ranges between 15 and 40 percent in the different countries.
In others, such as Spain or the United States, the figures indicated are higher.
At the international level, there is no binding international Convention on sexual harassment. However, the relevant supervisory bodies of the ILO and the United Nations have concluded that it must be understood as a form of discrimination on the basis of sex.
Thus, an ILO Committee of Experts has condemned sexual harassment under Convention No. 111 on discrimination (employment and occupation, 1958. And the United Nations Commission for the Eradication of Discrimination against Women considers it to be included in the United Nations Convention on the eradication of all forms of discrimination against women, and it has adopted General Recommendation No. 19 on violence against women, which expressly defines against this phenomenon.
The Organization of American States has adopted a Convention on violence against women that contains similar measures. But the only legal norm adopted so far that directly prohibits this practice is Article 20 of the ILO Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, 1989 (No. 169).
At the national level, a significant number of countries have adopted some type of legislation regarding sexual harassment. In many of them, sexual harassment is implicitly defined as an activity that constitutes a violation of laws passed on a different subject, such as human rights, unfair dismissal, contract law, fraudulent contracts or criminal conduct.
Expression of these excesses are some common practices, such as mistreatment in word or deed, threats, the imposition of obligations not contained in the contract, pressure to intensify the pace, prolong the working day or to renounce labor rights and also legal breaches.
Data from Chile show that in 35 percent of the cases, the person who sexually harassed was the immediate boss and in 30 percent, another boss. That is, people with power, but not necessarily with the highest rank in the hierarchy of the company. In the aforementioned work, 29 percent of the workers harassed were by a colleague.
Sexual harassment, an abuse in which the victim is almost always a woman.
The situation in which women sexually harass male workers, usually taking advantage of the power of their position, tends to become a great deal. However, these cases are not frequent.
The evolution of the process
From an organizational point of view, Leymann (1996) reflects four typical stages in the development of bullying:
- The appearance of some critical incident. The systematic persecution. The intervention of superiors. The abandonment of work.
From an approach centered on the person who is the target of the harassment, this continuous conflict in which it is immersed goes through three periods totally linked and experienced with such a high load of feelings of helplessness, which leads to a great extent to endanger health, reaching in extreme cases to a self-injurious end, with irreparable consequences for the victim:
- First period. The psychological harassment begins. Second term. The conflict opens. Third period. The escape.
What are its consequences?
In relation to employees, the consequences of sexual harassment can be devastating for the victim. In addition to the damaging physical and mental effects mentioned above, the victim runs the risk of losing her job or related experiences, such as her professional training, or coming to feel that the only possible solution is to give it all up.
The sexual case leads to frustration, loss of self-esteem, absenteeism, and a decrease in productivity.
In relation to companies, in addition to the negative effects already mentioned, sexual harassment can even be the hidden reason why valuable employees leave or lose their job, when, on the other hand, they had shown good performance. And if the company allows a climate of tolerance towards sexual harassment, its image may be damaged in the event that the victims complain and make their situation public. In addition, it is also running growing financial risks, because every day there are more countries in which legal action at the request of victims can easily determine damages and impose financial sanctions.
The consequences for society as a whole could be summarized by saying that sexual harassment prevents the achievement of equality, condones sexual violence and has negative effects on the efficiency of companies, which hinder productivity and development.
Here are some recommendations in these cases:
- Don't suffer in silence. Seek support from someone you trust. If there is one, make the problem known to a person of greater authority than your perpetrator, giving as much detail as possible. If you feel that you cannot do it alone, ask a friend or relative to accompany you. Inform yourself about your rights (which will depend on the legislation of each country). Inform yourself about mobbing and its status as a serious social and health problem, scientifically proven. You will need this information to deal with those who try to minimize or ignore the problem. Seek legal advice, but be careful. Remember that a rough river fishermen gain, and fishermen emerge like mushrooms and try to do their business. A lawyer who has experience in the area is desirable, but it is essential that he be trusted,If you are determined to take legal action. Labor abuse leaves significant psychological consequences for its victims. Be honest with yourself and seek professional help if you need it. It will be useful not only to manage the current situation and avoid its consequences, but also to help you reintegrate into the world of work. Remember that the difficulties for the latter are presented in much of the victims of workplace abuse. Support, support and support. You will need them. Get in touch with organizations that help victims of abuse.Remember that the difficulties for the latter are presented in much of the victims of workplace abuse. Support, support and support. You will need them. Get in touch with organizations that help victims of abuse.Remember that the difficulties for the latter are presented in much of the victims of workplace abuse. Support, support and support. You will need them. Get in touch with organizations that help victims of abuse.
Sources
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Portada
www.cinterfor.org.uy.
