Read the text.Moral HarassmentWhat is moral harassment?Many researc...

Read the text.

Moral Harassment

What is moral harassment?

Many researchers are now trying to define and understand psychological or moral harassment at work. Among these, we have retained a definition from a renowned expert in the field, French psychiatrist MarieFrance Hirigoyen, here freely translated: "If a person or a group of individuals treats you in a manner that is hostile, whether through actions, words or in writing, and if those actions affect your dignity, your physical or psychological well-being, as well as causing a deterioration in your workplace or even jeopardizing your employment, you are the victim of psychological harassment."

How to recognize moral harassment?

According to German psychologist Dr. Heinz Leymann, the following are some of the effects and behaviours of moral harassment (for which he uses the term "mobbing"):

Effects on the victim's possibilities to communicate (management gives you no possibility to communicate, you are silenced, verbal attack against you regarding work assignments, verbal threats, verbal activities in order to reject you, etc.)

Effects on the victim's possibilities to maintain social contacts (colleagues do not talk with you any longer or you are even forbidden by management to talk to them, you are isolated in a room far away from others, you are "sent to Coventry", etc.)

Effects on the victim's possibilities to maintain his personal reputation (gossiping about you, others ridicule you, others make fun about a handicap or your ethnic heritage, or your way of moving or talking, etc.)

Effects on the victim's occupational situation (you are not given any work assignment at all, you are given meaningless work assignments, etc.)

Effects on the victim's physical health (you are given dangerous work assignments, others threaten you physically or you are attacked physically, you are sexually harassed in an active way, etc.)

What are the consequences of moral harassment at work?

On The Victim And Witnesses

Moral harassment can lead to an untimely end to a career. The following example shows how such a course of events can lead to an abrupt, premature departure:

Emotional instability: anguish, discouragement, frustration, feelings of helplessness, a loss of selfesteem, of ambition, of motivation.

Physical health problems: tiredness, headaches, lack of sleep, intestinal and other physical discomforts.

Mental health problems: depression, professional burn-out, suicidal thoughts.

Loss of credibility: reputation destroyed, victim’s professionalism questioned.

Job loss: disability leave, resignation or dismissal.

Incapacity to go back to regular work: abandoning the job market. Involuntary witnesses may feel uneasy, insecure and powerless. […]

(Source:http://www.prevention-violence.com/en/int-111.asp). Acesso em: 09 de junho de 2023.

O texto “Moral Harassment” trata sobre definições de assédio psicológico ou moral no trabalho segundo alguns especialistas da área de Psicologia e Psiquiatria.

Now read these sentences about the text and classify in true (T) or false (F):

1. ( ) According to German psychologis Dr. Heinz “If a person or a groups of individuals treats you in a manner that is hostile, you are the victim of psychological harassment.

2. ( ) French psychiatrist Marie France Hirigoyenn say that “If a person or a group of individuals treats you in a manner that is hostile, you are the victim of psychological harassment.

3. ( ) The Dr. Heinz Leymann use the term “mobbing” to the classify the following are some of the effects and behaviours os moral harassment.

4. ( ) If others persons ridicule you, others make fun about a handicap or your ethnic heritage, or your way of moving or talking, according Dr. Heinz these are effects on the victim’s possibilities to maintain his personal reputation.

5. ( ) The moral harassment can lead to na untimely end to a career, stated Dr. Heinz.

Now choose the correct alternative: