Definitions and Concepts: Sexual Harassment, Psychological Harassment, Incivility
Harassment
Harassment can be defined as any unwanted behavior, often repeated, aimed at affecting a person’s physical and/or psychological integrity or creating an intimidating, hostile, humiliating, and destabilizing environment. In Portugal the practice of harassment is prohibited and considered a serious offense, without prejudice to any criminal liability provided by law (Art. 29 of the Labor Code). Furthermore, victims of harassment have the right to compensation (Harassment at Work, Information Leaflet by APAV).
Sexual Harassment∗
Sexual harassment is any unwanted and repeated behavior of a sexual nature, whether verbal, non-verbal, or physical, with the purpose or effect of disturbing or coercing the person, affecting their dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or destabilizing environment.
It can be characterized by:
- Systematically making suggestive remarks, jokes, or comments about appearance or sexual condition.
- Repeatedly sending unwanted sexually explicit cartoons, drawings, photographs, or internet images.
- Making unwanted sexual phone calls, sending letters, text messages, or emails.
- Initiating intentional and unsolicited physical contact or excessive physical approaches.
- Persistently sending invitations to social or recreational activities when it is clear that the invitation is unwanted.
- Presenting invitations and requests for sexual favors associated with promises of job opportunities or improved working conditions, job stability, or professional advancement, whether expressed directly or implied.
Psychological Harassment or Mobbing∗
Psychological harassment includes repeated verbal attacks (offensive and/or humiliating content) and/or more subtle acts, which may involve physical and/or psychological violence, with the aim of diminishing the victim’s self-esteem and ultimately leading to their disengagement from the workplace (e.g., social isolation, professional persecution, intimidation, and personal humiliation).
It can be characterized by:
- Systematically setting unattainable goals and objectives or establishing unfeasible deadlines.
- Consistently assigning tasks that are strange or inappropriate for the professional category.
- Consistently failing to assign any tasks to the worker – lack of effective occupation.
- Systematically appropriating ideas, proposals, projects, and work from colleagues or subordinates without acknowledging the author.
- Disregarding, ignoring, or humiliating colleagues or workers, forcing their isolation from other colleagues and superiors.
- Systematically withholding necessary information for the performance of duties from colleagues or subordinates, or regarding the functioning of employers, whether public or private, while providing such information to other workers.
- Systematically spreading rumors, malicious comments, or repeated criticisms about coworkers, subordinates, or superiors.
- Consistently giving confusing and imprecise work instructions.
- Systematically requesting unnecessary urgent tasks.
- Consistently publicly criticizing coworkers, subordinates, or other superiors.
- Systematically insinuating that the worker, colleague, or coworker has mental or family problems.
- Transferring the worker to a different department with the clear intention of promoting their isolation.
- Consistently shouting loudly to intimidate people.
- Monitoring the number of times and keeping track of the time the worker spends in the restroom.
- Frequently making offensive jokes about sex, race, sexual orientation, religion, physical disabilities, health problems, etc., regarding other colleagues or subordinates.
- Consistently commenting on someone else’s personal life.
- Systematically creating objective stressful situations to provoke a loss of control in the recipient of the behavior.
Incivility
Incivility is defined as a mild form of deviant behavior that is low intensity, ambiguous as to intent to harm, violates respectful social norms, and does not form a decided pattern of behavior ( Emotions, Technology, and Behaviors, 2016). Incivility can be seen as a lack of organizational citizenship, which can lead to professionals leaving the organization, an increase in workers’ stress levels, and in some situations, even serving as a gateway to more severe interpersonal aggression, ranging from increased levels of conflict to more serious cases of workplace harassment. (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/civilidade-e-incivilidade-local-de-trabalho-irailton-melo/?originalSubdomain=pt)
- It involves disrespectful, rude, or impolite behavior that violates social norms and conventions of courteous interaction.
- It involves actions or communication that can harm or offend others, such as using offensive language, making derogatory remarks, or engaging in hostile and aggressive behavior.
- Can occur in various settings, including the workplace, schools, public spaces, and online platforms.
- It creates a negative and hostile environment, undermining cooperation, collaboration, and mutual respect among individuals.
- Addressing and preventing incivility is important for fostering healthy and respectful social interactions.
What is the impact of harassment on victims?
Workplace harassment can affect its victims in different and diverse ways. After experiencing a harassment situation, victims may feel confused and vulnerable. General panic, a sense of living a nightmare, disorientation, feelings of loneliness, and shock are some common reactions.
Even if not openly acknowledged or reported, workplace harassment contaminates the environment and can have a devastating effect, not only on the victims but also on the employers themselves, whether public or private. This can have financial repercussions on the national healthcare system and social security system.
Regardless of the specific situation of workplace harassment, it is crucial to take measures to ensure its resolution and cessation.
It is important for the person experiencing harassment to clearly express their disapproval and refusal to the perpetrator, to share the problem with someone they trust (such as family members, trusted friends, and colleagues), to seek support from coworkers, and to treat the situation as a serious issue.
Since harassment can sometimes be difficult to identify and prove, it is important to keep a record of the incidents, including when and where they occurred, what was said or done, how the victim felt, people involved and potential witnesses, names and addresses of individuals willing to support a potential complaint, and any written evidence such as documents, letters, or emails. Keeping a record of the incidents is important as it can be used to illustrate a pattern of events.
(based on: https://apav.pt/apav_v3/images/folhas_informativas)