How does sexual harassment impact employee’s mental health

 

The mental and emotional well-being of a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace may be in danger. It can damage not only professional relationships but also interpersonal relationships outside of the workplace, resulting in a loss of self-worth and a lack of trust in others. The victim is forced to fend off the harasser while being cautiously picked apart, and the effects of this can result in stress and anxiety. Harassers choose their victims because they want to take advantage of weaknesses, they believe they can exploit.

Figure 01: Impact on employee mental health

According to recent research, both men and women who experience sexual harassment in the workplace are more likely to later in life developmentally. Sexual harassment victims in the workplace may initially use coping mechanisms and defence mechanisms to mask their underlying emotions, (Mahoney, n.d.)but if they do not seek the proper support to address their feelings, this can eventually have a negative impact on their mental health. A stressful or traumatic event may overwhelm natural coping mechanisms, which causes the memory and related stimuli to be insufficiently processed and stored in a separate memory network. It's almost as if the traumatic event and the emotions connected to it have been replayed in the brain, rewiring it to focus only on those things. Because the sounds, smells, images, and feelings were not properly processed and stored, these memories will have long-lasting effects and will be repeated over and over as if the person is experiencing the trauma for the first time.

 

Sexual harassment, whether it occurs at work affects people more severely over the long run in terms of eating disorders, anxiety, and depression, regardless of their gender or level of power. This is due to the fact that sexual harassment is a type of (physical and) psychological trauma. According to research, the aftermath of such traumatic events often begins with shock, confusion, or denial before developing into rage, annoyance, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, victims may experience physical symptoms like nausea, headaches, muscle aches, or even long-term health issues like high blood pressure, issues with blood sugar, and other stress-related illnesses that could be signs of underlying mental health issues. In extreme circumstances, victims may experience panic attacks and flashbacks, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or they may show signs of suicidal thoughts.

Sexual harassment at work can have devastating repercussions for the victims, the workplace, and the bottom line of the business. Therefore, creating a robust anti-harassment policy and then strictly enforcing it are the best ways to ensure a safe and respectful work environment.

 

Physiological reactions can result from sexual harassment.

Workplace sexual harassment and assault can operate as a stressor, triggering an uncontrollable physiological reaction. This kind of stress may have a negative impact on heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels. Additionally, it may lead to irregular heartbeat.

But scientists claim that frequently eliminating the threat does not remove the biological reaction to stress.

This may result in mental illnesses like:

• chronic illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Depression.
• Anxiety.

People who have these conditions frequently use unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as drinking alcohol to deal with stress.

These behaviors consequently raise the danger of developing a chronic illness.

Reference

Mahoney, B., n.d. Discoverymood. [Online]

Available at: https://discoverymood.com/blog/mental-health-consequences-associated-workplace-sexual harassment/#:~:text=Sexual%20harassment%3A%20A%20traumatic%20event&text=Regardless%20of%20the%20level%20of,on%20a%20long%2Dterm%20basis.

[Accessed 28 11 2022].

Nevagi, K., 2021. LinkedIn. [Online]

Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/psychological-implications-sexual-harassment-a-nevagi?trk=pulse-article_more-articles_related-content-card

[Accessed 27 11 2022].

Universalclass, n.d. Universalclass. [Online]

Available at: https://www.universalclass.com/articles/business/the-consequences-of-sexual-harassment-in-the-workplace.htm

[Accessed 27 11 2022].