The definition of harassment in the workplace usually refers to psychological violence, which can include gossiping, slander, social exclusion, deliberately making work more complicated, or a generally poor attitude. There is no doubt that not every small conflict in the workforce is equal to bullying. However, when harassment becomes systematic and prolonged, it is time to take action. A victim often experiences feelings of oppression, humiliation, and fear. Therefore, in order to preserve the mental health of the staff, the employer should be responsible for stopping bullying. Moreover, several researchers express the idea that women are more likely to be victims than men, but women also can be bullies too (“Workplace Bullying Under the Radar, Intimidation, Humiliation, Ridicule, Isolation”). Another important factor of this issue is that they are also more likely to target their female coworkers, making the problem of workplace harassment among women more apparent.
It can be explained by the fact that they see others as a threat, as competitors. This belief usually comes from stereotypes and the phenomena of internal misogyny. Those who suffer from it may not even know about it; however, sometimes women involuntarily adopt sexist attitudes and use them against their female counterparts. For instance, if a worker continuously humiliates her colleague, disregards her professional abilities, follows her, or even starts fights, it can be assumed that she does it out of internal misogyny. Nevertheless, workplace bullying should be addressed immediately regardless of the gender of those who do it or suffers from it. The sooner a manager intervenes in a situation, the faster the harassment will be put to an end. The psychological stress caused by bullying can be so severe that in the worst case, it can lead to depression and quitting.
Reference
“Workplace Bullying Under the Radar, Intimidation, Humiliation, Ridicule, Isolation.” YouTube, uploaded by BullyingNewsVideos. Web.