I am a survivor of sexual violence. In my early 20s, I was raped and beaten by a customer in my local pub. I was working full-time on minimum wage and had my drink spiked at a work social. When I told my manager, he said I could hide in the back office whenever the customer came in.
No other action was offered or taken. At the time, it didn’t even occur to me that something like this could be reported above my manager to my employer, or that my employer had a duty of care.
In my next job, as a charity worker, I experienced sexual harassment and discrimination from a senior manager that led to my being unfairly dismissed. This time, I utilised the formal structures of my workplace, seeking support from HR. But it became clear very early on that their priority was to protect management and the brand. My career in this sector swiftly came to an end, while the manager involved took a sideways step into another organisation.
