Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT - Whistle blow?

2 replies

dreadlockholiday · 26/01/2011 21:54

5 years ago a girl at work told us one of the female bosses had told her she had a crush on her that she could not get over and that she was in love with her. this girl told me that she was shocked but said Look I am flattered, I am sure if I was gay you would be a lovely partner but I am straight and getting married to the man I love...

Thats the last I heard.

I since became a manager and whenever we discuss this girl in meetings the other manager who is now a snr manager always makes special compensations for her. I suggested we move girl to another base once as she would be better suited and the boss went mad at me for suggesting it.

Last week a team member was talking about Christmas party. She was sober as on anti biotics and gave my friend a lift home. She told her that again the boss had come onto her. When I said to the team member what she still fancies her? she said yes, she has made several passes at her over the years.It seems that boss came on to girl at her own wedding.

my friend has a very sick daughter and boss has given lots of exra time off. Friend said to me how good she has been.

Seperate to this. One of my team was suffering stress during summer and said she had something going on in personal life that was creating anxiety. She went off with stress and I discussed with boss if i had missed anything. She said dont repeat this to anyone.At my engagement do (boss is organising a civil patnership)xxxx came onto me. I am so shocked that she did that, I mean at my own do. she suggested my team member was struggling with sexuality and said thats probably why she is off with stress.

the team member returned and today with all this on my mind I asked another manager who is sister of team member who is stressed how she is. we got talking andits clear she is not gay. I advised other manager what boss had told me, about her sister coming onto her and she was shocked. she said she was suspicous about the events of engagement do as she came looking for sis to leave and she saw boss with arm round her leaning close. she said sis looked odd and she thought boss had been saying something about work (boss had recently berated her over a file she had worked on) but as sis was drunk she could not recall what exactly had been said or happened when she questioned her. the manager said she was suspicious

I am feelng very nervous about all this. Its all feeling very uncomfortable and I know from experience when you are a victim its not always easy to speak up

What would you do?name changed for obvious purposes

OP posts:
dreadlockholiday · 26/01/2011 22:07

Advice welcomed.So many things going around in head

OP posts:
BerylStreep · 27/01/2011 22:16

Don't really know what to say.

I suppose you could speak to your friend (girl no 1) and ask how things are going, in a general way? Then ask how things are with the female boss in question?

If neither of them want to make a complaint, there is very little that can be done. Having said that, if the woman in question is a sexual predator (which it sounds like) she is unlikely to stop at just these two, so someone needs to know about it.

Do you have a confidential reporting line? Do you work in the armed services / police? Not being nosey, but something about your post made me think this may be the case. If so, they are likely to have a Professional Standards Department, who would may record this as intelligence, and keep an eye on it. Alternatively, if your organisation has an equality & diversity manager, a quiet confidential word with the equality manager may help.

In any event, I would make detailed notes about all conversations you have had regarding this - you never know what may emerge at a later point, and as a manager I would also make sure you record your decision-making process on what you should do, just in case you are open to criticism for inaction in the future.

HTH

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread