To most of us, it seems like a far-off possibility, like something that could never really happen to us personally. The reality is that sexual harassment occurs a lot more often than we realize, sometimes even in our workspaces. Statistics published on it are harrowing, to say the least, and I think many people can comfortably say that they wish more was being done about it.
Victims are well aware of how this sort of awful behavior can go unnoticed. Sometimes it’s just completely brushed aside, even, by the higher-ups. As websites like this one, https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_863177/lang–en/index.htm, demonstrate though, you’re never alone if you’re facing this.
If you’re feeling like that though, that’s okay. It’s a totally normal sensation. Honestly, going through something like sexual harassment and even the legal processes that you can pursue is quite stressful. Getting support might be difficult but taking that first step is really important.
Click here – What is the Best Time to Shop in Dubai?
Why This Matters
As a whole, I think it’s pretty easy to brush this aside or not take it all too seriously in terms of the widescale impacts that come from this sort of thing going on in the workplace. However, that doesn’t discount how critical it truly is. Even the statistics demonstrate that it’s a really widespread issue.
The mental health impacts that sexual harassment can have alone warrant the statement that we need to pay more attention to this issue. It can be really detrimental to a person and impact their work performance on top of everything else. Realistically, for that reason alone, more companies should be concerned about this.
However, that does not often seem to be the case. Instead, sometimes concerns are brushed aside when they really shouldn’t be. The result is a feeling of desperation and loneliness for a victim when all they really need is some kindness and compassion.
Thankfully, there are people who do care about putting a stop to this, as well as helping victims navigate their lives following an incident. For example, Los Angeles sexual harassment lawyers are there to serve their community in the LA area. Unfortunately, the city has a history of having many sexual harassment cases, but at least help is available to anyone who lives there and seeks it out.
Click here – Choosing The Best Bike Accident Lawyer For Your Case
How to Get Help
As I mentioned above, there are resources available for victims. Tragically, it is sometimes really hard to ask for them, given some of the societal stigma surrounding victims of sexual harassment. They are told that they’re overreacting, being dramatic, or being “too sensitive.” Trust me, though…you’re not doing any of those feelings. Your feelings surrounding the unwanted conduct of your coworkers are valid.
If you’re not sure where to start, that’s okay. Your first step may be to seek a therapist if that sort of care is available to you at the moment. There are resources such as this one that offer some other counseling ideas as well, including support groups that you can seek out.
Healing is a long process, though. Inevitably, it’s going to take a lot of time, and each person has their own individual journey to go on for it. However, even if it won’t necessarily make the situation right, you can seek out legal counsel to get retribution in some form.
Be it a cash settlement or something else, you can get a consultation from an attorney to see whether or not you have a case that could work in court. Look for one that will bring tact to the situation – after all, it’s a very sensitive topic, and there are few people who want to relive their awful experiences over and over again.
Sometimes it can be scary to come forward at all in a town like Los Angeles, but with the right support group, you’ll be better off for it. Getting that validation can be helpful for your healing. A good lawyer will be there every step of the way for you, there to assist you through the difficult feelings that crop up.
It’s Okay to be Conflicted.
I alluded to this above, but there tons of reasons that a victim may not necessarily want to immediately come forward if they are experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace. It’s hard to deny that it will have a significant impact on that workspace for the near and far future when stuff like this occurs and the cat is out of the bag. So, if you’re feeling conflicted about it, that’s okay. It’s normal, as you can see here: https://victimsupportservices.org/help-for-victims/crime-types/harassment/.
Along with that, sometimes there is a level of shame or embarrassment about it. I think that this is especially the case for male victims, who are belittled all the time for this sort of thing on a wide scale. They are told things like “you wanted it” or something similar, which doesn’t exactly inspire them to come forward with their stories.
This doesn’t make the problem go away, though, nor does it make that stance the correct one. Know this – no matter who you are, if you are victim of sexual harassment (in the workplace or otherwise), you aren’t alone. You have supporters near and far, and I hope that you’ll be able to use some of thoseresources at your disposal.
Whether or not we want to admit it, it isn’t likely that these issues are going to go away anytime soon. We are probably going to have to contend with them as a society for a long, long time. As indominable as that task seems, though, we can take our own steps each day to making the work force safer for victims, male and female alike.
If you are going through this, I hope that you are able to find your support network and get some assistance. Get a consultation with an attorney and if applicable, get some justice for what happened to you. At the very least, you deserve to have that.