Workplace Bullying in the News
Helpful links and resources
WORKPLACE BULLYING
The recent case of bullying that caused teenager Brodie Panlock to suicide highlights the inadequacies of our legal system. Many who read of the vicious, ongoing attacks, psychological and physical, on this vulnerable girl, attacks that did not stop even after Brodie’s first suicide attempt, wanted the perpetrators to receive a prison sentence, but this was not possible. Fines are the maximum penalties the magistrate could impose under Victoria’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.
This was almost a classic case of bullying – perpetrators in positions of power, onlookers/co-workers who felt unable to intervene because of potential job loss or fear of becoming a victim themselves, a vulnerable victim whose self-esteem was so depleted, who felt so powerless that she couldn’t tell her parents what she was enduring and considered death her only option.
For information about this case, follow these links:
Australian
radio announcer found guilty of bullying
The "explosive, repetitive and serious nature of his behaviour"
earns Reginald David Mowat a $10,000 fine.
Bullying
crosses the line into workplace
USA NIOSH survey presented to APA suggests many bosses are
unaware of verbal abuse in office, and more>>
The
bad boss: If you haven't had one, you probably will
Incompetent, uncommunicative or mean, they make work a chore - a
story from the Boston Globe.
Law
needs to recognise cost of bullying
EC
Labour Law and Work Organisation News and Home Page
Transgender
individuals face prejudice and bullying, often with tragic
consequences
Canadian Crime Victim
Foundation
SCHOOL BULLYING
Helpful website - BullyFreeKids
Boy's
suicide over bullying fears
James Rogers, from Wrexham, Wales, kills himself after prolonged
bullying.
Was
drowning an act of bullying?
Father voices concerns over swimming pool death of Nathan Matthews.
UK
government proposes national network to fight bullies
with readers' feedback
The
best days of your life
Bullying victim describes "desperately unhappy" school
days.
School
bullying ends in tragedy
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Order
the Book... |
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Bullying in the Workplace: an Occupational
Hazard by Helene Richards and Sheila
Freeman can be ordered in paperback format from this
website.
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Australia
ISBN 0 7322 7424 9
Price: AU$22 + $8 postage and handling
This book covers a very serious issue in a
way that is practical, comprehensive and easy to read.
Download the Table
of Contents here. (Acrobat pdf)
Order Now
What others say:
"...your book - it's great. there is
a real difference between work done by "consultants"
on this issue and work that is truly informed by experience
and your work certainly comes from a space of really knowing
about workplace bullying"
"Seems like you have hit a chord,
which is not surprising given the numbers of bullied workers
everywhere who are desperate for some acknowledgement of what
has happened to them - and some strategies too. Well
done!"
"It is excellent. I have been bullied
by about 5 or 6 female managers (I lose count) and am still
being bullied in a most unusual situation. I found the book
very helpful"
Some Statistics:
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21% or 1 in 5 US workers are bullied;
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81% of bullies are bosses;
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41% of bullied individuals were diagnosed
with depression;
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over 80% reported health effects such as
sever anxiety, lost concentration, sleeplessness;
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31% of female and 21% of male victims
suffered from post traumatic stress disorder;
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82% of bullied individuals lost their
jobs (44% involuntary departure, 38% voluntary);
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in 51% of cases Human Resources did
nothing to help the victim despite requests; in 32% of
cases HR supported the bully by reacting negatively to the
victim.
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In the US, work related diseases
including stress account for a total cost of $26 billion
annually.
Source: US Hostile Workplace Survey 2000,
CAWB |
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