“It’s not your fault, but theirs.”
Never forget these words. Therefore, you should not blame yourself if someone sexually harasses you. Besides, you should also not keep quiet about it. Speak for yourself and for your safety. After all, it concerns your whole life and your peace of mind.
According to the study of “Women in the workplace” by McKinsey’s and LeanIn.org, 35% of women suffer from some kind of sexual harassment during their careers. But it’s not about women, sometimes men also suffer from such things.
In 2018, men filed around 16 percent of the total harassment (sexual) complaints in the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). It is to be noted that 16 percent of complaints are registered so how much would be the actual figure.
So if you are facing some form of sexual harassment and you are not sure about what you should do, The Dixon Firm is there to help you out. They have attorneys who specialize in dealing with such cases. So if you are unsure visit their website they will sort out your problem. Thus, you will know the best solution and you will have someone to help you out.
This is the biggest support that such people need the most. Because they feel isolated in society. Therefore, they begin to think about suicide and suffer from depression.
So if you are one of the victims of such a hideous crime, we have certain things to help you out. You might not know because you are too emotional right now. But you need to ensure your safety by speaking out.
Therefore, here are some things that you can do for yourself.
1. Ensure your safety
Usually, people suffer from extreme shock after they encounter such a situation. Therefore, if they are not strong enough, they will suffer from extreme mental stress and can harm themselves. That is why it is important to ensure one’s safety from the harasser as well as from your own self.
So what can you do to overcome these overwhelmed feelings?
Firstly, you need to call someone close to you. If you live alone, you can call your closest friend or some family member and talk with them. Secondly, give yourself some time to relax. You are currently in a state of shock. Therefore, you might have random thoughts and you are not able to decide anything. Thus, the best solution right now is to take a leave from work and seek help.
2. Seek medical and legal support
After you feel physically safe, you need to reach out for some support. It is common for people to suffer from anxiety, depression and dissociation. So if you are in such a stage, you need to go to some professional.
Now you need to do 2 things.
First, you have to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist who can help you to come out of your mental stress. You can make the right decision when your mind is working completely fine. Afterward, you should go to some professional advocate to file the case. Consulting an experienced advocate will help you out a lot in this matter.
The victims of sexual assault are not sure about the extent of their sufferings. Therefore, when the consult an advocate, he/she can guide them to file the lawsuit accordingly. Furthermore, they can also decide upon the fine according to the level of harassment.
3. Speak out for yourself
In addition to the professional help, you also need to speak out. This is not only good for you but also for your fellow workers. Today it’s you and the next day it might be someone else. Therefore, keeping your mouth shut is not the right choice for you and for everyone else.
What you have faced today will truly be a shock. But if you don’t speak out, this will progress. Today, he might have touched you inappropriately but what about the next time? If you do not stop the harasser at the first stage, you will suffer much more. Afterward, when you leave the job or take a break, it would be someone else’s turn to suffer.
So it is not the victim’s fault. It is the harasser who is wrong. Therefore, while working and even everywhere else, you should not take sexual jokes lightly. Most of the harassers start by making sexist jokes with employees. Afterward, if they do not retaliate, they move on to the next step. And if the victim to too shy and afraid to speak out, he/she will definitely suffer much more.
Most of such cases occur with contract-based employees or interns. They have to keep their job stable and that is why it is often assumed that they should bear with everything. It is completely okay to work more and efficiently. But it is never okay to suffer from sexual assault only because you are an intern.
Even if you have to lose your internship at this cost, is it better to save your life or job? You can always find another workplace, another job. Or you can simply do your own work. But it is not okay to sacrifice your mental health over a job that pays a few hundred bucks.
4. Build or connect with a community
As you talk about your problem with others, you will come across victims who have suffered much more. So, you are not alone here. There are several other victims too. Consequently, there are communities and groups that help out such victims.
Therefore, instead of isolating yourself from the outside world, it is better to connect with such a community. You can heal your wounds and can help others too. So it will be a win-win situation for you.
In addition, even if you are not brave enough to go to a psychiatrist or advocate, meeting victims is also a sort of therapy. You might be shy to talk about your problem with new faces. But meeting with victims will make you feel supported and you will have a shoulder to lean on.
