Let's talk about
sexual harassment at work.
Last week in the
office, we had depositions for one of our medical malpractice cases. One of
Bossman's attorney friends came in for that, as he is friends with our client
and is the one who referred the case to us. Let's call him ExtremelyUnpleasant.
I can't stand
this dude. He is rude and obnoxious and he has absolutely no concept of
personal space. Bosslady no longer allows ExtremelyUnpleasant in her home.
That's how much normal people{everyone except Bossman} dislike him.
This one time a
while back, ExtremelyUnpleasant was in our office helping Bossman out with
another case--we represent a taxi company, and one of their drivers followed
one of his fares into her home, knocked her unconscious, and raped her.
ExtremelyUnpleasant opined that, because she invited him into her home when he
asked to use her bathroom, then clearly SHE WAS ASKING FOR IT.
I actually had
to leave work early that day. I was that angry.
Anyway, back to
last week's depositions.
ExtremelyUnpleasant
was thankfully behind a closed door for the majority of the SIX BLOODY HOURS he
was in my office.
but then
when they took a
break
and I was at my
desk hard at work
ExtremelyUnpleasant
comes up behind me
so I thought he
wanted something off the computer, like maybe something related to the case
no
he made some
fake attempt at small talk regarding the amount of paper we had to use for the
medical records
and then he got
so close to my chair that I ACTUALLY COULD NOT MOVE
and proceeded to
blatantly and shamelessly lean over me and look down my shirt.
I have never
come so close to stabbing someone in the eye with a letter opener.
And you know
what I can do about this?
FECKALL.
Nothing.
Try to laugh
about it with Bosslady and talk about how much we hate him and shrug it off.
Try not to bask in the knowledge that you are nothing more than an object.
In other news, I
am now officially regularly medicated.
Things in
general kind of suck.
I've got all kinds of advice, but I doubt none that you have not considered. The thing about assholes that pisses me off is most of them don't realize they are assholes.
ReplyDeleteStill he is probably a miserably unhappy shit!
There's always one isn't there?
ReplyDeleteOne scumbag who ruins it for everyone
And how infuriating that he gets away with it
Karma is a bitch
Let's hope he gets what he deserves
In this life
Or the next
I'm very impressed that you practised self restraint and didn't stab him in the eye with the letter opener
That must have taken every bit of strength you had x
I'm echoing Joeh up there. Bet you can't wait for the day you see his face on the evening news with an "arrested" banner under his smug mug.
ReplyDeleteI cried reading about this. And this is the #1 thing I'm terrified about when it comes to FT work. I have experiences and I don't need it at work.
ReplyDelete::hug::
You need a desk that isn't solid so you can just slide underneath, then shove the desk bag and pin the asshole in a corner.
ReplyDeleteAlso, use care when operating a vessel.
Yeah, what Tempest said. You may want to take back that job application for aircraft carrier captain.
ReplyDelete"I hate that we live in a society where it's not illegal to be an asshole, but it is illegal to slap one." - Ronda Rousey
ReplyDeleteI'm still stewing about that creep, so this is an official offer to drive to your workplace, hide under your desk until he shows up, stab him with a scalpel when he gets close, and mace him when he leans down to see what just severed an artery in his leg.
ReplyDeleteI may take you up on that at some point... I have been calmed this week at least by the Gentleman Judge visiting every day. He's the polar opposite of ExtremelyUnpleasant. Even though he's always in sweatpants and ridiculous shirts.
DeleteP.S. My excuse shall be He Was Asking For It by being in my proximity while I had the urge to do such things. I hear it works great as a legal defense.
DeleteI might join Tempest, though I don't have scaples... but I have sharp scrapbooking supplies!
DeleteThough, I'm not sure how a double team would work for the legal defense. These type of men just bother me. :(
Yay for medication at least? Can I ask why you can't do anything about it? As someone who was the victim of bullying I know that sometimes reporting things doesn't work but there's a difference between school and the workplace. He doesn't have to be there. I'm sorry you have to go through that shit though and I hope that you can get something done about it. That poor woman invited him into her home, not into her vagina.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. I'm sorry that there are men like that out there. I'm also sorry that you couldn't stand turn and offer him a nicely placed knee in the nuts.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the club of the officially medicated...yay! I recently called my Primary care doc, to see if I could get my Cymbalta increased......the office said sure, no questions asked. I dunno, if I were a doc, I might kind of wonder why, but with hundreds of patients, I guess I should just be grateful. So sorry things such...here too :(
ReplyDeleteOh, Henry. I have been where you are and then some. There are things you can do. #1~ask him to please allow you your personal space. Be sweet and nice, but with an icy glint in the eye. Make sure it's formidable (practice, practice). If he doesn't back up, you simply roll your chair back over his foot. Men like Extremelyunpleasant NEVER get it until you stand up for yourself. Oh, and you need to tell your boss what happened, because he probably already knows, and (hopefully) will be pissed off, which doesn't mean he will do anything....but perhaps your boss will send you to an early lunch or an errand to....I don't know.....go buy shoes or something.
ReplyDelete