|
|
Post by Admin on Oct 19, 2017 15:24:51 GMT -4
|
|
NVu
New Member
Posts: 3 
|
Post by NVu on Oct 19, 2017 17:40:29 GMT -4
This article is a great addition to the #metoo campaign that is currently trending on social media. With the Harvey Weinstein debacle, women and men are finding the courage to reveal long kept secrets of harassment and assault, and a community of support has come forward to show these victims that they are not alone. It’s important for people to realize that you don’t have to be a victim to sympathize. It should be intrinsic to every person that sexual assault is a violation that no one should be subjected to, and that words can do just as much harm to someone’s esteem and value. We should be more aware and sensitive in how we respond to people’s stories. Over the past few days, I have watched my Facebook newsfeed fill with raw and painful accounts of assault from people that I never would have guessed had gone through such trauma. That’s the thing about pain: people cope differently. There’s no point in asking someone for details or doubting their stories. I’ve seen many insensitive comments towards people’s #metoo confessions that are completely unnecessary. It doesn’t matter if someone’s post is a call for help or attention, or to let someone else know that they’re not alone. It’s important for us to see the bigger picture that sexual assault hurts more people than it should, and we should be more kind and protective of one another.
|
|
|
|
Post by Soren Estvold on Oct 19, 2017 18:41:50 GMT -4
This article came at an opportune time. This this article thoroughly explains how sexual harassment can "wreak havoc" on the body and its not just purely psychological symptoms. The main thing this article makes me think about his how and why this is happening in the first place and why is it allowed to continue. Nearly 100% of women have reported some for of sexual harassment or sexual assault, with a fraction of that in men. Why has this become nearly universal for women, and at nearly any age? When should women be trained to protect themselves against these predatory advances? These are all questions that need to be addressed soon and implemented into our societal fabric. Also, training men that this type of aggression is also necessary.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kathryne Holmes on Oct 19, 2017 21:06:15 GMT -4
Unfortunately, women have had to "deal" with sexual harassement in the work place for too long. For years, many women were silenced or told that "this is how it is", especially in the movie and music industry. Why is it that women are expected to turn the other cheek, or laugh off inappropriate behaviour that makes them feel violated? For too long women have not had a voice in the matter, afraid that they would lose their position at their place of employment or be labeled as a whistle blower. Afraid to be persecuted and feel like they are the ones who have done something wrong. Women should never have to explain why they don't feel comfortable in a situation and compromise their mental and physical health so as to not ruffle any feathers. I am glad that the community of women in the Weinstein scandal have started to come forward and support each other, I am glad they have found their voice. As Soren above stated, almost 100% of women have experienced some form of sexual harassment or sexual assault and it is high time that change. Their needs to be more understanding and support in the workplace for these types of situations, people need to feel safe in their job. If we, as a community, continue to say enough is enough, we will start seeing positive change in the workplace.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jonathan Phang on Oct 20, 2017 14:35:59 GMT -4
Because of Harvey Weinstein’s high-profile status, the topic of sexual harassment has been at the forefront of multiple media headlines over the past several weeks, which is a great thing in terms of bringing more awareness and attention to this extremely important and prevalent issue. I find it absolutely ridiculous that those who sexually assault others do what they do, especially knowing the harm and suffering that they inflict on their victims. As the article states, “90 percent who experience sexual violence in the immediate aftermath exhibit symptoms of acute stress.” 90 percent!! That’s an extremely high number, and it’s so sad that these victims have to deal with the consequences of their assaulters’ actions, which as the article states include conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and somatic symptoms. The article also brings about a good point about the extra complication of dealing with sexual harassment specifically in the workplace. There’s a certain hierarchy in the workplace setting, and victims may be reluctant to report harassment out of fear of becoming demoted or even losing their job. The fact that victims may be forced in a position to sustain long-term consistent abuse in the workplace is a sickening and disturbing thought. I’m glad that the end of the article provides some encouragement and some strategies on how to deal with sexual harassment. I think it will take a combination of education, as well as hearing more stories of victims (like we’re seeing with cases such as Harvey Weinstein and Bill Crosby, etc.) in order to prevent and reduce the rate of sexual harassment.
|
|
Sheena Isaac-Soberanis
Guest
|
Post by Sheena Isaac-Soberanis on Oct 22, 2017 17:34:37 GMT -4
Sexual harassment and sexual assault is a topic that is generally avoided and looked over in today's workplace. Sexual assault is something that is rarely discussed because many of those affect do not wish to come forward due to fear of judgement, retribution, or being accused of making false accusations.
Sexual harassment and assault can have profound affects on the outcome of a persons life. In my opinion I agree with the article in saying that these type of assaults can lead to other conditions such as PTSD, Anxiety, and overall poor health quality along with trouble forming relationships. In my opinion the anxiety and poor health can stem from not wanting to be in that environment anymore or possibly around the person that is bothering you. Also since there is an increase risk of anxiety it can also manifest as other conditions like stomach or intentional problems, trouble concentrating, weight loss or gain, and numerous other symptoms. Like wise PTSD can manifest in these cases if the harassment results in an assault and the patient continues to fear the reoccurrence of the assault which can then lead to trouble forming bonds and trusting people.
Lastly in my opinion, this paper does an excellent job in explaining how sexual harassment and assault can lead to other problems in their overall health. Hopefully as healthcare professionals we were get better at identifying and helping those affected by this trend in society and provide the psychiatric help and support they will need. This was an great paper that in light of all the recent accusations is very informative for future reference.
|
|
|
|
Post by A. Sabooree on Oct 22, 2017 23:11:51 GMT -4
Woefully, sexual harassment has been an ongoing issue in the US that grows well beyond the workplace. It is to an extend that 90% of the female friends of mine has experience some form of sexual harassment at work, at some point in their lives. As it was mentioned in the article, such events can easily have lifelong effects on an individual’s life; It can cause the individual to become depressed, anxious or in some severe case it can lead to PTSD.
I personally believe that such issue will not be resolved until the sexualisation/objectification of women by media is stopped, and the punishment of such acts is tailored to the level of disturbance that such an act can cause.
|
|
|
|
Post by michaelkouandjio on Oct 23, 2017 23:58:39 GMT -4
Unfortunately sexual harassment is a big part of our society these days. It's so common now that we tend to not see it, and even when we see it we tend to ignore it. As mentioned in this article, sexual harassment could have a tremendously impact on the victim both psychologically and physically. So it's very important for the victim to get help as soon as possible... but we all know that it is easier said than done. I also think that it is important to educate the public on what sexual harassment is, how to identify it and how to report it. We also need to educate people on what the effects that it could have on its victims so that the public won't take it as lightly as it seems like it's being taken right now.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eleazar Briones on Oct 24, 2017 20:34:31 GMT -4
The attitudes and perspectives on sexual harassment vary widely. All agree that sexual harassment is wrong and perpetrators should be dealt with legally and publicly. However, I don’t believe this issue is being taken lightly, but that we are lacking mental health expertise in the workplace setting. Many of the people that are affected by or have witnessed sexual harassment do not know who to direct the incident to (manager, HR, etc?) or do not trust the resources currently set in place. While I agree that awareness is a component, I believe that victims and perpetrators must be approached from an occupational health standpoint in addition to obtaining legal counsel to ensure they are cared for appropriately. Victims should not be made to feel their only option is to file a police report or lawsuit. Many may feel they are starting a war against their enemy and run the risk of not being heard or having their story aggravated by speculation. As health professionals our role in the very least is to know susceptible populations and to make ourselves accessible to them.
|
|
|
|
Post by Geetha Vyas on Oct 24, 2017 21:57:21 GMT -4
Sexual harassment happens far more than most people expect. It's incredible to see just how many people have been involved in these instances and how they are too ashamed to report it. I really enjoyed reading this article because it addresses the effects sexual harassment leaves on victims. Weinstein's awful indiscretions have raised an incredible awareness of sexual harassment and the toll its taken in our society. Even when victims report the abuse and seek the treatment, they have continued to suffer in silence for so long that it will take a lot of time to fully come to terms with what happened. I think the stigma of reporting is not nearly as worse as not reporting it all. By not reporting, it perpetuates the silent occurrences that happen to begin with more and more. The more we discuss the issue of sexual harassment, the better the chance of incidents getting reported and its occurrences decreasing.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kristen Richárd on Oct 25, 2017 0:30:00 GMT -4
It only makes sense that sexual harrasment would lead to somatic symptoms, ptsd, acute stress disorder, and depression. Victims of this would feel out of control of their environment and having to return to work everyday to face the same circumstances it occured under would trigger the brain to have a stress response and also lead to depression. Especially, if this is a longstanding thing constant release of stress hormones would change the body's physiology. Women in the workplace are already more likely to undergo stress and anxiety due to the high demands of work in addition to typically being responsible for managing their families at home as well. There are more stressors already. Just as if someone was abused in any other way sexual harassment is scarring. Dr. Hammond states that many of the somatic symptoms present as GI issues, headaches, etc. Any type of stress does this to the body. I think that people do not take this issue seriously and underestimate how traumatizing that kind of experience would be. The workplace should be a proffesional environment where everyone is comfortable in regards to their own wellbeing and safety. It is a failure on that job if it's employees feel otherwise. There should be stricter standards in place and more monitoring because it still happens all too much and people get away with it. If reprocussions were more severe there may not be as many incidents of sexual harassment.
|
|
|
|
Post by Premalatha Babu on Oct 25, 2017 15:23:43 GMT -4
Like others have stated, this article is a great addition to the #MeToo campaign. Sexual abuse is a major stressor which leads to both physical and mental health changes. Almost every day, both women and men face many different types of gender discrimination and oppression, which include sexist jokes, harassment, rape, physical abuse, and even murder. When people describe their experiences in regard to gender inequality, they are told not to make a big deal about it. It is common for them to be told that they are either overacting or misinterpreting the situation. These responses don’t recognize the importance of the incident and the impact that continues afterwards. The effects of sexual harassment can range anywhere from uncomfortable to distressing. They can last for a short or long time and have a domino effect of negative symptoms. After a crisis, patients to get help immediately to order help address the trauma and provide long term assistance. Surviors of sexual abuse face challenges with depression, anxiety, PTSD, disruptions in personality, detachment, and substance abuse. Sexual abuse not only leaves mental scars but it also impacts one’s health. I believes it is very important to educate people on sexual harassment, which in turn will allow them to report these cases when they occur. As the article states, the longer people keep it a secret the more toxic it is to the victim’s health.
|
|
|
|
Post by Onesmus Maina on Oct 26, 2017 1:40:13 GMT -4
Due to recent events, which are related to this article about sexual harassment, I decided to ask some past and present colleagues, both male and female, some questions on this topic. I uncovered some upsetting things. Both women and men are subject to sexual harassment, of course, but from what I discovered more women are affected. This article described some of the health problems arising with sexual harassment. The endeavor to seek some perspective on sexual harassment made me ask myself some questions: Why are certain women subjected to sexual harassment, and not others? What influence do factors such as appearance, dress and personality have on one’s likelihood of being harassed? What do men think about other men who harass women? What do women think about other women who report harassment? What can organizations do to reduce instances of harassment?
|
|
|
|
Post by usmanh on Oct 26, 2017 8:14:36 GMT -4
I thought the article did a great job of giving us a broad overview of what happens in general with different individuals who are the victims of sexual harassment. As the author stated the victims can suffer from depression, anxiety and even PTSD. In addition to the torture that the victim is going through the author also points out the effects that this has on the coworkers. This is something I never realized that even if one is not the subject of sexual harassment but still witnessing it on a daily basis, it can take a physical and emotional toll on them. Now we know that this is an issue that is prevalent in every segment of our society and much more common than we ever thought before. More resources need to be devoted to making sure that a male dominated culture (that still obviously exists everywhere in our society) does not keep sweeping issues like this under the rug. It takes courage on the part of the victims and their coworkers to bring it up to management. At the same time companies must appoint more resources to seriously deal with these issues and must let workers know that they will be taken care of and not shunned if they report being sexually harassed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jamil Amlani on Oct 26, 2017 10:05:24 GMT -4
This article points out some well known but sometimes overlooked points regarding depression/anxiety/ptsd causality. Sexual harassment can be at the the root of many of these mental health issues, but not be recognized in its role, as the victim may find themselves unable or unwilling to communicate their situation. The harvey Weinstein debacle shows us all, and reminds us, that sexual harassment in the workplace is still present as ever at every level of work. Had the same story occurred outside of hollywood, as may well happen fairly often, it would likely garner almost no media coverage. It is not surprising that 90 percent of women who experience sexual violence in a sexual assault, exhibit symptoms of acute stress. The fact that this stress can eventually manifest in health problems, including specifically 'problems with blood sugar,' demonstrates just how deeply the stress from sexual assault can penetrate one's health, not only mentally, but physically as well. Another point of value lies in the statement 'if you know something, say something; but don't gossip...' Too often gossiping can be mistaken as action. It helps no one, and often worsens the sufferer's condition. if sexual harrasment is present in the workplace, and known, it should be made known immediately to those who are to act on it, of course though, only with the sufferer's awareness and consent.
|
|
