Harassment in the Workplace

Tracy is a 43 year-old accomplished school teacher whose life was turned upside down. She had been teaching for 12 years and had received glowing references and many letters from the Dean congratulating her on her performance. Then, Tracy was transferred to a remote country school where, for the first time in her life, she experienced workplace bullying to the point where she became ill and could no longer face going to work.

For six years Tracy put up with bullying. A colleague/superior told her that it wouldn’t matter if she was dead. She was physically pushed. She was isolated by not being included in staff celebrations, or volunteer work projects, and the staff involved would not sit by her. She was humiliated by having a dunce hat placed on her head during a school performance. She was yelled at during a meeting for being late yet others who arrived later received no reprimand. She was denied appropriate resources to do her job and was told that thirty pieces of art paper was sufficient for the entire year. She endured psychological games by being made to feel as though there was something wrong with her.

Tracy endured this treatment from her colleagues and superiors for six long years and now she has major depressive illness with anxiety attacks that are so bad that she lies down and groans. She has nighttime enuresis that worsens when she is highly stressed. She has tried to commit suicide. Tracy has become a recluse and describes herself as a shadow of her former confident self.

Tracy’s story is not an isolated case. Many workers have endured similar treatment with devastating effects. (Freeman)

John said: "I had lost my identity and self-esteem, and there was a lot of unresolved anger that I had to let go of before I could channel my energies into the future.”

Simone said: “I practically turned myself inside out to gain his approval but went nowhere in the company. He ignored my input at meetings, sneered and talked through my presentations. Friends in the business passed on quite vicious rumors about me. I know he started them, but have no proof.