Bullying - A Vicious Circle that Effects Us All
    By Doreen Maruschak of Self-Awareness Journal on CR ROM

Whether at work, at school, on the internet, at home, or in the public eye, bullying effects everyone, and it does leave an impact on one’s well being.

For victims of bullying, (according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work fact sheet), the consequences may be significant. Physical, mental and psychosomatic health symptoms are well-established, such as stress, depression, reduced self-esteem, self-blame, phobia, sleep disturbances, digestive and musculoskeletal problems. Post-traumatic stress disorder, similar to symptoms exhibited after other traumatic experiences such as disasters and assaults, is also common among victims of bullying. These symptoms might persist for years after the incidents.

Other consequences might be social isolation, family problems and financial problems due to absence or discharge from work. At the organizational level, the costs of bullying can result in higher absenteeism and staff turnover, reduced effectiveness and productivity, not only for the victims of bullying but also for other colleagues who suffer from the negative psychological climate in the work environment. A bully in the workplace is a bully in the home, teaching one to bully in school, who teaches others to bully.

In North America, only two Canadian provinces prohibit workplace bullying: Saskatchewan (2007) prohibits physical and mental harassment in and out of the workplace (Saskatchewan Occupational Health and Safety); and Quebec (2004) prohibits psychological harassment in the workplace (Quebec Labour Standards). What is psychological harassment in the workplace? It is vexatious behaviour that manifests itself in the form of conduct, verbal comments, actions or gestures characterized by the following: they are repetitive, hostile or unwanted; they affect the person’s dignity or psychological integrity; they result in a harmful work environment. Vexatious behaviour is humiliating or abusive behaviour that lowers a person’s self-esteem or causes him torment. Harassment is expressed by making rude, degrading or offensive remarks; making gestures that seek to intimidate; discrediting the person through rumours, ridicule and humiliation; and belittling yelling, threatening and prohibiting him/her from speaking to others.

The Alberta Government and Alberta Human Rights do not recognize emotional bullying and psychological harassment as abuse in the workplace. At present in Alberta, there are no provisions for recourse. Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta have made the following comments:

(Oct 10/06) - While there are no plans to expand this provision in that legislation, your comments have also been forwarded to the team conducting the review of Alberta’s Employment Standards Code. Alana DeLong, MLA , Calgary Bow

(Jan 17/08) - Bullying in the workplace is a serious issue. Neither the Occupational Health and Safety Act nor the Employment Standards Code have specific provisions that explicitly address this problem. Iris Evans, former Minister of E & I

(May 2/08) - The OHS Code does not have provisions addressing non-physical workplace bullying. The elimination of any type of workplace harassment and bullying is best achieved through education and awareness. Hector Goudreau, Minister of Employment & Immigration

(May 12/08) - A Provincial Prevention of Bullying Strategy was implemented in 2004/2005. A decision was made to start with young Albertans as the Strategy is about change in societal attitudes and behaviour, and change can start with them. The Provincial Prevention of Bullying Strategy is targeted to children and youth. Pearl Calahasen, MLA, Lesser Slave Lake

(June 21/08) - E & I has a Workplace Health and Safety bulletin titled Preventing Violence and Harassment at the Workplace. Pearl Calahasen, MLA, Lesser Slave Lake

Prevention and Strategies - Is it not the innocent child that loses the most when the parent/care giver is left with no choice but to quit after continuous bullying in the workplace? This is a loss which most of us take for granted; the basic necessities of life and the benefits: dental visits, eye glasses, hearing aids, braces, etc. Why is it that adults are so quick to lay blame on the children? After all, children learn from within their environment, and from other children. So until the adult stops the bullying, then so will the child. How can we expect some children to know better, when some adults don’t? Will we continue to hear of the many youth suicides, as well as the continuing rise of young offenders? Is this a trend that we want to see continue for our children’s children?

After speaking with both victims and bullies; those that were bullied on a regular basis over a number of years spoke with much anger, bitterness and resentment. These are the people who believed: those who bullied, had a right to bully, because there was a reason for the bullying. Is it these beliefs that take some to another level?---school shootings?---work related shootings? To help stop this vicious cycle of bullying, residents of Alberta are encouraged to voice their concern by faxing/emailing their own work related horror stories to their local Politicians, Provincial Ministers and Labour Standards Managers. Until then; by learning to become aware of your own feelings, beliefs, behaviours and the choices that you make, and being able to recognize and understand that which was once negative, turned now into a positive, will enable you to walk in another’s shoes, teaching you to become non-judgemental, thus understanding the other person, and creating empathy.

Join Doreen as she continues to collect signatures for the petition to the Alberta Legislative Assembly to prohibit emotional bullying and psychological harassment in the workplace. Call 403.247.9653.

Doreen holds an Honorable Diploma in Psychology/Social Work & is the author of Self-Awareness Journal On CD-ROM, a multi-purpose guide to self-awareness, self-discovery & empowerment. www.SelfAwarenessJournalOnCdRom.com