Unveiling the Shadows: Understanding and Addressing the Harms of Harassment
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In this article, we deliver a deeper understanding of Harassment and its types along with various interventions to prevent the same.
Let's dive right in..
The intent of this article is to psycho-educate people because it has been a growing problem for years. Mostly prevailing among teenagers and college-going students.
What is considered "Harassment"
Harassment is any unwanted behavior that could be either physical or verbal, that makes a rational person feel uncomfortable, humiliated, or mentally distressed. The definition and boundaries for what’s considered harassing behaviour depend on the state laws.
Harassment takes various forms and can occur in varied settings such as workplace harassment, psychological harassment, gender harassment, online harassment, and intersectional harassment.
What is considered harassment and what is not
It is important to bear in mind that the perception of what counts as Harassment differs according to specific contexts and cultural norms.
A few factors could be considered to determine if behaviour may be considered Harassment.
Factors to determine if it is Harassment or not
Firstly,
Its impact on the individual.
Harassment often causes distress, discomfort, or harm to the person on the receiving end.
It interferes with their sense of safety, well-being, or ability to carry out their normal activities.
Secondly,
Harassment often involves a power imbalance, where the harasser holds a position of authority or control over the individual being targeted.
This power dynamic can contribute to the harmful nature of the behaviour.
Lastly,
Harassment involves repeated or persistent behavior that is unwanted by the harasser.
It goes beyond a one-time occurrence and may involve ongoing actions or communication.
On the other side,
Behavior that is respectful, consensual, and does not cause distress to others would typically not be considered Harassment.
Is Harassment a Crime?
It can be considered a crime depending on specific laws and regulations in place. Laws regarding Harassment vary from one country to another.
In many cases, certain types of Harassment, such as sexual Harassment or stalking, are explicitly addressed in the legal systems and may be classified as a criminal offense.
It is advisable to report the incident to the appropriate authorities if you see yourself in that position of being a victim of Harassment or if you witness someone being harassed.
Types of Harassment
Harassment covers a wide range of unwanted behavior, including physical contact and verbal abuse that causes emotional distress to the harassed. Harassment takes three major forms:
- Verbal,
- Physical, and
- Sexual.
These three broad subjects are further broken down and take the shape of
- Domestic violence,
- Psychological abuse,
- Stalking and
- Discriminatory Harassment.
However, here we will discover nine types of Harassment:
Let's dig deeper !
And understand the types of Harassment and its emotional and psychological effects on the individual.
1. WorkPlace Harassment
Restaurants ranging from fast food corporation such as Mcdonald’s to big MNC companies have faced high profile lawsuits and allegations of permitting a workplace harassment.
Imagine someone is a part of an esteemed organisation, an organisation that they always dreamt of working at. They experience glances and rude jokes, demeaning comments based on gender stereotypes, non-consentual and inappropriate touch and acts of physical abuse. It is devastating to be experiencing that and not being able to raise a voice against their seniors just to protect their job. This is just a snippet of what millions of people might be going through.
Perhaps what majorly causes harassment in workplace is the power dynamics.
It is nothing new to see seniors harassing the juniors psychologically, physically and emotionally.
Physical and Psychological Harassment in workplace could lead to feelings of humiliation, guilt, shame and is threatening to one’s well-being. Individuals can fall into the hands of experiencing depression and post traumatic stresses. Organisational chaos and job insecurity are two key factors that shuts the victims from voicing the injustice.
The probable consequences of workplace harassment are detrimental for the victim as well as the organisation and it cannot be ignored. Studies also show that 2.8 million people have resigned from their organisation due to the occurrence to sexual harassment. Due to rising number of sexual harassment cases against employees, it is imperative that this issue is investigated and various training programmes, legal policies are implemented to help making workplace a safer place to be in.
2. Sexual Harassment
- Non-Verbal sexual Harassment
- Verbal Sexual Harassment
1. Non-Verbal sexual Harassment
Non-Verbal sexual Harassment demonstrates unwelcomed actions or behaviors of sexual nature that create discomfort or a hostile environment. It may manifest into
- Inappropriate gestures,
- Unwanted touching, or
- Displaying sexual images or objects.
2. Verbal Sexual Harassment
Verbal Sexual Harassment involves the use of
- Uninvited sexual advances,
- Comments, and
- Sexually explicit conversations.
A person may persistently request sexual favors, sexual jokes, or sexual remarks that create distress in the minds of the victim.
The bottom line is to speak up about the offensive behavior. However, it should not be made impulsively and lightly because just as there are consequences for remaining silent, there can be consequences for anyone who doesn’t take the time or spend the energy to investigate their rights and document what happened.
Trigger Warning!!
Sexual Harassment takes the form of rape, which is a thousand times worse. It is the ultimate theft of self-control and leads to a breakdown in the victim’s sense of self-worth.
Sexual Harassment in the workplace is another significant issue that needs to be looked into.
For instance, A male employee happened to touch a female employee’s hand inappropriately and that caused HR to step in and take immediate action against the act.
3. Gender Harassment
It is a form of sex discrimination. It takes place when one person harasses another person for reasons relating to their gender or the gender with which they identify. Gender Harassment generally involves stereotypes according to the roles and functions associated with a particular gender.
Comments like, “ You are a woman and your job is to take care of the house.”
Inappropriate displays of material that offends a particular gender, insults or derogatory actions directed towards a person solely because of their gender and labelling an individual with a gender-offensive nickname deeply affect a person’s self-worth and they lose their sense of identity. It attacks an individual’s dignity and equality.
Recent research have shown that to this day, women are paid less than men for doing the same job. Globally 70% of women experience harassment at some point during their lives.
These figures portray how important it is to educate the future generation in order to eradicate “Gender Harassment.”
Key Takeaway
“Gender Harassment thrives in silence and ignorance. It is our duty to break the silence, educate ourselves, and challenge the societal norms that perpetuate this injustice”.
4. Harassment and non-cooperation by neighbour
Neighbor harassment is a pattern of behavior that is directed at an individual or group of individuals and is intended to cause distress, intimidation, or harm. This behavior takes many forms, from verbal abuse to physical violence.
Certain behaviors take a subtle form, such as
- Simply spreading rumours,
- Playing loud music at night, or
- Constantly complaining.
It might not be an illegal behavior, but it particularly creates a hostile and uncomfortable living environment for the victim.
Neighbor harassment can have a significant impact on the mental health of the victim. The constant fear, intimidation, and uncertainty can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression. It may also manifest in sleep difficulties and flashbacks. Emotional distress can also lead to social isolation as the victim may avoid going outside due to fear.
Dealing with neighbor harassment can be challenging, but one strategy is to document the behavior, including the date, time, and what was said or done. This can be helpful if one wants to take legal action or not.
“In a world where we share spaces and lives with our neighbors, let kindness, respect, and consideration prevail. Neighbor harassment has no place in a community that strives for harmony and well-being.”
Key Takeaway
If you are experiencing neighbour harassment and unsure whom to contact, you can reach out to your landlord, or a community agency.
5. Harassment caused due to Poisoned Environment
Discrimination and harassment can cause a place of study or work to become hostile or negative. The effect is bad, but it is not only the targeted individual that feels the negativity. People who get exposed to the conduct may also perceive it.
Even if remarks are generalized and not directed toward anyone in particular, Just recognizing that the demeaning behaviour is intended to debase and disgrace a group of people or an individual is enough for anyone that witnessed the conduct to be offended.
A hostile environment can make individuals feel uncomfortable, and threatened and they are unable to perform their tasks or fully engage in their environment. It exploits a person’s self-esteem, increases stress levels and has an overall negative impact on the affected person’s quality of life.
But how to get rid of such a “Poisoned Environment?”
Well, Here’s How!
- Engaging in Proactive education and training, fostering a culture of respect and inclusivity, and implementing swift and fair investigations.
- Also, recognizing the role of being an effective bystander and creating a network of support to ensure that everyone feels empowered to speak up against Harassment.
- Promote a safe, non-judgmental environment creates opportunities for a better understanding of each individual's thoughts, ideologies, and diversities.
Key Takeaway
No one should endure a hostile environment where their well-being is compromised. It’s time to prioritize empathy, educate ourselves, and take proactive steps to create inclusive environments free from Harassment.
6. Cyber Bullying
Online Harassment is often overlooked by people. A few text messages, name-calling via the phone, and perhaps someone bouncing back into your inbox through a fake account is all overly concerning behaviors, and they require specific intervention to cease these acts immediately.
In the age of social media, normal people have unprecedented power to hold public figures accountable for their actions. One offending tweet on social media can have detrimental effects on a person’s life.
Online shaming seems to be satisfying; this is because subjecting others to cruelty and scorn produces powerful neurological rewards. The combination of intrinsic and external rewards that come with public shaming tempts one with powerful and even sadistic gratification.
Reports suggest that two-thirds of the victims do not voice online Harassment.
They cope with online Harassment by normalizing, ignoring, or blaming themselves for the Harassment.
Building a safer Digital Future is our responsibility!
It is important to emphasize the collective responsibility to build a safer digital future. It calls for collaboration among individuals, technology companies, policymakers, and online communities to develop robust measures that deter online Harassment, enforce consequences, and promote positive online interactions.
Key Takeaway
“Social media is a great tool for communication, but remember to use it responsibly and stay safe online.”
7. Psychological Harassment
Repeated and Persistent distressing behavior that involves hostile and unwanted words and actions that are psychologically painful, hurtful, humiliating, or insulting is considered to be psychological Harassment. In such situations, the victim’s dignity is threatened, and their environment becomes toxic.
How to identify such Harassment?
When the behavior is repeated, and the seriousness of the behavior, words or actions have detrimental effects on the victim. However, a single serious incident may constitute Harassment if it has similar consequences and produces a lasting harmful effect on the victim.
It’s best to act quickly to prevent the situation from deteriorating. If efforts aren’t made to stop it, Harassment is likely to continue and get worse.
When there is an attack on the dignity or the psychological well-being of an individual, there is a deterioration of normal body functioning, or psychological and emotional imbalance may occur, then it leads to psychological Harassment.
Manifestations of Psychological Harassment
Victims of psychological Harassment may experience symptoms such as crying, depression, memory problems, despondency, irritability, agitation, lack of interest, isolation, lack of confidence and self-esteem, fatigue, sleep disorders, stomach problems, loss of appetite, back pain, sweating, dizziness, tremors and nausea.
Key Takeaway
Encouraging support and care for the victims of psychological Harassment is vital. Victims should be encouraged to confide in a trusted friend, family member, or professional counsellor who can provide emotional support and guidance.
8. Personal Harassment
Have you ever felt mentally attacked by someone? How awful and distressing it feels when you are constantly targeted by someone? Imagine someone feeling that repeatedly and constantly in different ways.
Now that’s where personal Harassment resides; it refers to constant unwelcomed and offensive behavior which is directed towards an individual on a personal level. It involves actions or conduct that are intended to belittle someone.
It may manifest into
- Mocking someone,
- Making fun of how they look,
- Making offensive jokes about their personal life, and
- Simply disrespecting someone for who they are.
Personal Harassment can take different forms and occurs in various settings like workplaces, schools, and social settings, as well as through social media.
Verbal Harassment includes the use of derogatory comments, verbal abuse, threats and mocking someone. Physical Harassment manifests into unwanted physical contact, invasion of personal space, inappropriate eye contact, and physical intimidation.
Addressing personal Harassment requires a combination of
- Awareness,
- Prevention, and
- Intervention.
Encouraging open communication, establishing clear policies against Harassment, providing training and education on respectful behavior, and implementing reporting mechanisms are important steps to prevent personal Harassment.
Key Takeaway
When incidents occur, prompt investigation, support for the victim, and appropriate disciplinary actions against the harasser should be taken.
9. Exploring Intersectional Harassment!
Intersectional Harassment is when someone experiences Harassment or discrimination based on multiple aspects of their identity, such as their race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, or social class.
Why is it called intersectional?
It is called so because it acknowledges that people’s identities are made of intertwined parts and everyone faces different and unique challenges when these parts are overlaying.
In layman’s words, It’s when someone is mistreated or bullied for being a part of more than one minority or marginalised group at the same time.
For example, A Lesbian, Asian woman might be targeted with harassment that involves both homophobic and racist comments.
For example, he might be subject to inappropriate jokes or derogatory remarks about his ethnicity and sexual orientation.
How can we uplift awareness about intersectional harassment?
Purely educating people about the concept of intersectionality and how it impacts individuals. Basically helping change people’s perspectives and increase sensitivity about different sections of people.
This can be done through seminars, training sessions and workshops. Also focusing on promoting empathy, diversity and inclusion by sharing real-life experiences and stories that can help people understand the complexity of the issue.
So How to Avoid Harassment?
If someone is constantly threatening you, following you, attempting to make sexual advances, or refusing to leave you alone, you need to learn how to protect yourself.
Start by telling the person that you don’t like the behaviour and asking them to stop. If the harassment doesn’t let up, take measures such as involving the police and increasing your security. Voicing your boundaries with someone who seems to be harassing you would be the first step towards self-awareness and reducing this behaviour.
In case of online bullying avoid engaging with them in any way possible, Block their contact and avoid picking up their phone calls. If the harassment doesn’t stop, try contacting the cyber cell for assistance.
Stop Blaming and scapegoating about the situation that you are in, acceptance is the key to solving any difficult situation.
If you can’t speak up for yourself, speak up for the other people receiving the same treatment or the ones who might receive it in the future!
Key Takeaway
Creating a safe and inclusive environment requires recognizing and valuing diverse perspectives and experiences.
Final Thoughts
Harassment is a serious issue that can have significant and long-lasting impacts on individuals and communities.
It is important to recognize that harassment can take many forms, including verbal, physical, sexual, or online harassment.
No one should ever have to endure harassment, and it is crucial to address and combat it in all its manifestations.
There should be a zero-tolerance policy in institutions, workplaces and schools.
Harassment is unacceptable and should not be tolerated in order to create a safe environment.
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