No, this isn’t another comment on what females or their employers should not do at work, but rather what they  must start doing to erradicate workplace violence, which is pervasive against women. “We believe women should spend their lives creating and thriving rather than surviving or recovering from terrible atrocities,” and “Violence is not and never should be part of a job,” says WorkplaceViolenceNews online.

So this is to remind you as a working woman of a few working prevention practices, whether you’re an entrepreneur, manager or woman returning to the workforce, whether you’ve had violence occur to you directly or to some other woman you know.  Clients have shared with me a few scenarios that were uncalled for and unpleasant and some that were humiliating or dangerous, so help bring this problem into the light and eliminate it from being the significant problem for women that it is today:

1. Know what violence is and help those around you to understand it as well. A general description of the term “violence” is verbal and emotional abuse, physical violence and sexual harassment; an act of aggression against a person who resists. Maybe this has happened to you and perhaps you’ve blamed yourself for getting in the situation to begin with. But let me ask you, “Does anything you could have done warrant the harmful response you received?”  The answer will be a definite no. Read about workplace violence to more accurately understand and avoid it at the Education Resources Information Center.

2. Ask for your company to initiate or make more visible their policies, practices and support for those affected by violence. Companies and managers must ensure their workers of their genuine commitment that all workers will be treated with dignity and respect, implemented through ongoing, updated policies and relevant training. They must work to ensure workers have a clear understanding of their roles and responsiblities and acceptable and ethical behavior, rather than assume that because they are adults, they should know proper ways to interact. Safe training standards and guidelines are available at the U.S. Dept. of Justice‘s website.  

3. Women of all social status levels, age groups and races are affected (see antiviolence facts).  But often those with poor self-esteem or who lack access to education and opportunities for themselves have stronger links to violence. Become a supporter of your other working women associates and assure them of resources within or without the company or community environment.  If you’re in a company, request a confidential hotline (which many already have) that has trained psychologists.  If you’re not within an organization, search online for support groups for violence against women in your area, for both domestic and workplace violence.  Hotlines for immediate support are listed online at the U.S. Department of Justice site.

4. “Many women do not seek help or report their experiences when violence occurs. ” says the World Health Organization at their media centre. Help make violence less of a hush-hush topic and bring it out into the light. Encourage women you know to talk about their concerns or past abuses in a safe and loving environment. This is another reason why working women who may fear the loss of their income should such a problem arise, must feel secure and supported in their work environments. Women should pursue free company offers for employees to be effectively trained and not wait until a possible problem emerges. 

5. Keep in mind, sadly, women victims are not unusual, a  June 29th Workplace Violence News update reports.  An associate in Toronto has shared about the upcoming Walk a Mile in Her Shoes campaign in October of this year.  Consider creating a similar violence awareness program in your area with your friends or coworkers.

6.  ” Bullying acts often occur as small incidents that may appear harmless when viewed in isolation. However, when viewed as a pattern, they can reveal abuse and aggression.”   Organizations need to realize how destructive bullying can be on performance and employee morale.  The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies & Bullying at Work” is one useful resource that is available at Amazon.com.

Any questions or still feel at a loss?  Talk with a resourceful friend you can trust or make an appointment with a trained psyhcologist in this area.  They can help you understand what actions would be helpful, rather than bearing the hurt or being embarrassed or ashamed.  Break your silence and let help in.

Tags: emotional abuse, physical abuse in the workplace, sexual harrassment, violence against women, violence prevention

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 at 4:33 pm and is filed under Personal and Professional Growth, Women Entrepreneurs, Women Managers, Women Returning to the Workforce, Re Careering. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.