In shock- serial sexual harasser let off

[PiedPipa]

Hi all, need some advice/ handhold for this one.
I'm trying not to make this too outing;

I work for a Civil Service department, and one of my colleagues was displaying sexually predatory behaviour towards me for months. I confided in my line manager at the time, he admitted what he'd been doing to me. I said that I was happy not to take it further (he's much higher up, and I was worried about fallout etc).

However, it has since come to light that he's done this to other female colleagues. His line manager pulled me in to a meeting room and questioned me for 2 hours- he said he'd only just been aware of my case because others had also come since forward, so the dept was now investigating (despite me not raising a formal grievance). I was told he'd be formally investigated, likely for gross misconduct (dept's policy on GM is that if upheld it should usually result in instant dismissal). I was told I'd be updated the following week (31st October).

It's now 15th November and I've been growing increasingly suspicious that they'll just let him slip out scot-free, rather than bring him to account. And now I've just found out he's going to another government department in a new role- on promotion.

I'm devasted that my employer has put me in this position. I answered those questions and had it all dragged up again because I was assured they would do their best to ensure he was brought to account and that he would not be able to walk of in to a shiny new job, reputation in-tact, with a whole other cohort of naive young women on whom he can repeat this behaviour.
I've been waiting for weeks, stressed and worried, to be pulled up for formal questioning, yet all this time they've been staging his smooth exit. Should I stand up and call them out? Or is it not worth it?

I'm gutted that this is still the world we live in. Even in the Civil Service, which is meant to be progressive.

I suppose you could raise a formal grievance now. It means that it's harder for him to slip through the net. Even if he gets away with it this time it will be another nail in his coffin. He's hardly likely to change.
I have a few acquaintances who work in the civil service in relatively senior positions and the men are fucking shocking in their attitude to younger women at work. It seems years behind the private sector. They all cover for each other though and rely on junior staff not saying anything.

I forgot to say how sorry I am. It is totally shit when this stuff happens.

I would raise a grievance, that is not acceptable. Sorry this happened to you.

Would be good if the others “happened” to raise grievances at the same time but i understand not everyone wants to do that.

Also very sorry to hear this. I'm just in the foothills of a possible civil service grievance too, not for the same sort of issue though. Read your department's grievance policy. It sounds like you have been encouraged to take an informal resolution but if you're not happy with that you can raise a formal one. There will possibly be a template letter to use. If you can go jointly with the other people (do you know who they are?) you may be able to give each other strength and have a stronger case too.

Raise a grievance now OP! Facts are on your side!

I am so sorry this has happened to you.

Whilst I’ve not seen it with Sexual Harassment, I have with bullying and yes they move senior people on/ promote them rather than taking disciplinary action.

You were told you would get a response by 31 October and haven’t. It is reasonable to ask for an update and consider pushing them by stating 2 weeks since an update was promised, if no update by COP Friday will lodge formal grievance.

Note: A grievance can continue if they move dept within the CS.

If you are in a TU, approach them for support.

Do you know who the other women are? Can you all raise a formal grievance together?

It is sickening how these CS people stick together in the Old Boy's network - so play them at their own game and you all stick together and complain together.

I'm sorry to hear this. I work in the CS and my line manager used inappropriate language with me/sexually harassed me - I'm still getting over it now, happened over a year ago and I was able to move to another team without giving the exact reason why I wanted to move.

I was too scared to say anything in case I wouldn't be believed (he's been in his role over 20 years and just been promoted) it's strange because I recently overheard a conversation between other colleagues tat he'd asked a colleague out for a drink and she refused - so it seems my experience wasn't a one off.

I was too scared I'd lose my job. But too be honest I'm beginning to realise I'm better than the job anyway and I'm looking elsewhere- preferably outside this CS department. It's not the first time I've experienced this - something similar happened with another colleague using sexual language towards me (but he wasn't a senior colleague) which occurred in the same department. I think it's a toxic environment. Sorry to derail here, op just wanted you to know you're not alone.

Definitely get support from the union.

It's revolting, isn't it? I just found out last week that someone has been promoted to the top job in my field despite being notorious for decades of predatory behaviour. Naively, I'd thought that the days of this behaviour being tolerated, never mind promoted and rewarded had ended some time ago. Obviously not.

Did you not post about this before, where you were trying to work out how to get him fired, but he’d not done anything to you, it was all gossip on the others?

Thank you all so much for your support. My line manager has just told me she's trying to find out what's going on, and I should have an update this afternoon. If I have to, I will raise a formal grievance and force their hand.

@Floweryflora no that wasn't me, although I did comment on someone else's thread (where a husband was being investigated for sexual harassment)

Just as an update, I received a call this afternoon from the man in question's line manager late this afternoon- and was told they didn't even go to investigation.

They basically let him off with a note on his file, but that will never be shared with his new employer. I feel really let down but also disappointed that no good has come of this- they've proved to him he's untouchable now and it's sad to think this will shortly be happening to other women.

I did contact my union but I guess now that I have to decide if I want to push this and effectively ruin my career.

Hopefully this thread has helped anyone else going through something similar. Thank you all for your support.

I’m sorry @PiedPipa thats not right.

With it being CS it shouldn’t ruin your career if you raise a grievance. Under GDPR no one should know outside those involved in the grievance.

I’ve just had a thought, you may be able to use the Whistleblowing procedure to make a protected disclosure. It is very nuanced because “Personal grievances (for example bullying, harassment, discrimination) are not covered by whistleblowing law, unless your particular case is in the public interest.”
www.gov.uk/whistleblowing

The whistleblowing would have to be against the perpetrators manager and HR for not following the grievance/discipline policy & procedure. You would need evidence of it being in the public interest. For example a repeat sexual predator with multiple victims poses a threat to other colleagues.

From your posts you can refer to the fact a formal investigation was instigated, you were questioned and made aware their were other victims but the outcome means his new dept/employer will not be told of the risk he poses to their female employees. That is the public interest slant.

If you know the name of other victims then this strengthens it as potential whistleblowing.

You first step is to talk to your TU.