Hi Snowey, you poor, poor thing, I'm sending you big (((((((hugs)))))))))),
I've been in your position. But trust me, you are better off out of it and anyway, it sounds like a small-minded, unprofessional and, frankly, backward company. How old is this woman, the Bitch? It sounds as if it's a maturity problem. As for the directors, it's a lack of balls problem and they will be confronted again and again with this situation as long as they are too weak to deal with it.
In five years' time you will look back and laugh at them. People who get sacked usually end up in better jobs. Look at Jeremy Clarkson!
How about telling a new employer that you left to travel? I did it in my late 30s for a year and didn't have a problem at all getting a 'proper job' afterwards. I just told them I'd been working xx number of years and decided to take a career break, which was the truth.
Before that (I was bullied a lot at work in my youth - always by women, I'm sorry to say, never men.) I left a job I'd only been in for 10 months where I was being bullied by a female boss. It was so obvious that I was being targeted that other members of staff used to come up to me and sympathise and advise me. Everyone knew what was going on.
But I didn't understand why!! People told me that she was "jealous". But why????? I don't know. I was not ambitious and not after her job. She just hated me on sight from day 1 and made my life hell.
I became clinically depressed and lost so much - my relationship, my home, my life, I lost sight of who I was, lost a lot of weight with the stress and became a nervous wreck. But I was too scared to quit - yet I really wish I had!
One day I took sick leave to go for a job interview.
The interviewers said; "Why do you want to leave your current job?"
I told them the truth. "I'm being bullied at work. There is a woman there who for some reason unknown to me seems to hate me and never wastes an opportunity to undermine me."
They said: "Well there are no bullies here. When can you start?"
I started a month later in a junior position. It was the best move I ever made. Five years later I was in a senior, influential position on good money.
So don't assume, Snowey, that a new prospective employer will be unsympathetic or suspicious! Yes, some might be, but you might be pleasantly surprised.
The downside for me at the beginning was that the new bosses knew the old bosses and told them what I'd told them at interview!
The big boss at the old job called me into his office and said, "Why are you leaving?"
I resisted the temptation to say "Shove this job etc" and said: "Because I have a better job."
He said. "And that's it? Because you have a better job? There is no other reason that you want to tell me about, Stargirl?"
We looked at each other. We both knew he knew what I'd said in the interview to the new bosses (who throughout my five years with them continued to be brilliant to me - you just couldn't expect them to keep anything quiet! lol....)
I said: "Yes, there is no other reason." And that was it. The bully was furious and never spoke to me again but I didn't give a monkey's. I was out of there for good just a few weeks later and never looked back.
After I left, I heard that she picked on a succession of other poor sods and the reason, I realised later, is because she had been continually passed over for promotion year in and year out, and was consumed with bitterness and envy, taking out her frustration on anyone she saw as an easy target because it was her twisted way of reinforcing the limited and waning power she did have.
This won't be much comfort to you, OP, but I once read that people who get bullied at work are likely to be very good at their jobs - and the bully recognises this, feels threatened and sets out to undermine them.
Honestly, life is too short. You are probably traumatised by this experience (as I was) but you will get over it sooner than you think. And the next job you get might be the one in which your wonderful talents are recognised and truly appreciated. So try not to lose hope and stay positive!
Love SG xxx