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| Photo credit: http://www.smhcs.org/blog/?p=1950 |
Today's guest blogger is Anonymous. Anonymous contacted CSWA in the wake of the Fed Up with Sexual Harassment posts:
We are trying to help her through the terrible ordeal she describes here. Since the situation is ongoing, her identity is protected.
We are trying to help her through the terrible ordeal she describes here. Since the situation is ongoing, her identity is protected.
Let me start with four words that
no manager should ever say to a sexual harassment victim who comes to him or
her for help: “Just get over it.” These
are the words that my most senior manager said to me after every step in the process for dealing with sexual harassment
failed.
I work at a non-academic research
institute where I conducted my PhD research with my advisor, a senior scientist
in our organization, and have remained to work on other projects independent of
him. At the time that I was working for my
advisor, he had absolute control over my academic and professional life.
During this time he tried to get me to sleep with him, after which I
spent almost four years in a state of terror because of his change in behavior
towards me when I indicated that I was not interested in such an inappropriate
relationship. When I went to managers
and human resources for help, every effort was made to silence me and to protect
my advisor. This is an ongoing situation
and my only choice may eventually be to leave the field. Now, I’m not explaining all
of this to draw attention to my situation, but rather to provide context for
what I would really like to discuss: the psychological impact of sexual
harassment in the student-advisor relationship.
