Post Harassment Syndrome

by Richard P. Dacri

Six weeks ago, your company completed the investigation of a sexual harassment complaint. Mary had accused John of harassing her. After meeting with Mary, John, and the witnesses, you had concluded that the harassment did in fact occur and you disciplined John. Your documentation was completed, Mary was informed of your findings and was satisfied with everything you and the company had done. Everything that was required of you and the company was done, consistent with state and federal law. It was finally over.

Yet for some reason, something is still not right. Mary’s performance has slipped significantly. She just doesn’t seem to be her old self. She was always “full of life,” a real contributor to her department, but that has all changed. Why? Isn’t this harassment case over? Maybe not, because Mary may be suffering from a condition that we will refer to as “Post Harassment Syndrome.”

Victims of sexual harassment often suffer tremendous emotional and psychological pain even after the “claim” has been settled from a “legal standpoint.” The victim is often ostracized from employees and friends. People sometimes can sympathize and side with the accused, often believing that somehow the victim brought this upon herself.

The victim can have tremendous feelings of guilt because she, too, may feel that somehow she did something to bring this on. In addition, she may feel that she only complained to get the accused to stop, but her intent was not “to get anyone in trouble.” And finally, there is the uncomfortable feeling every time she sees the accused at work. How can she continue to work in the same company or department with the person who harassed her?

Victims of “Post Harassment Syndrome” can easily turn from a good employee to a marginal employee. Tardiness and absenteeism will often occur. The victim’s productivity drops and he/she may be prone to accidents. A general feeling of depression can result.

While the feelings of the victim need to be addressed, the impact of the feelings of the accused can not be ignored. Their emotions can range from anger, resentment and guilt to paranoia. They can feel that they were set-up, or that their actions were blown out of proportion. They may minimize what they did or rationalize it, and may even snicker about their actions.

At the same time, like the victim, they too could also become ostracized from their friends and fellow employees. After all, who wants to be associated with a harasser. They may feel like a leper in their organization, realizing that their career may be over in this company.

So what can you as a manager do to address this issue? To begin with, you and your managers need to recognize that “Post Harassment Syndrome” exists and you should be trained on how to deal with it. Managers need to be able to reach out to the victims and to listen to their concerns.

Companies may need to bring in professional assistance from a psychologist or an employee assistance program to help both the victim and manager deal with these difficult situations. What is clear, however, is that organizations that simply address the issue of harassment from a “legal standpoint” may develop employee problems ranging from decreased productivity, to increased turnover and poor employee relations. At minimum, companies need to expand their sexual harassment training to include “Post Harassment Syndrome” awareness.

Rick Dacri is an organizational development consultant, coach and featured speaker at regional and national conferences. Since 1995 his firm, Dacri & Associates has focused on improving the performance of individuals and organizations. Rick can be reached at 1-800-892-9828, or rick@dacri.com