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'Bark in the Park' Raises Alzheimer's Awareness
Adult Bullying in the Workplace, Vicitim Speaks Out 1/21/13
Felicia Bolton
fbolton@cbs7.com
CBS 7 News Reporter
January 21, 2013
ODESSA, TX - Name-calling, teasing, and constant harassment are all signs of bullying. It’s a growing trend going unspoken in many work environments today.
"He always... He was just like ‘you’re sexy. I want to do you.’ He would make the pumping motions at me," said former victim, Michael.
A bully singled out Michael. He says it caused feelings of worthlessness and humility he still has this day.
"He cornered me in a room and he actually touched his self to me. It's was humiliating and I didn't want to go back to work after that,” stated the former victim.
He says the overbearing taunting lead him to a state of depression and this bullying happened right in his workplace.
"You may cry for a while. You just may kill yourself,"he said.
Michael eventually left his job, because of the habitual attacks.
It’s a trend Beverly Ferguson with the Life Coach Institute sees everyday.
"it's aggressive , brutal , it causes post traumatic stress disorder . It's verbally and emotionally abusive," said Ferguson.
She says it's often over looked by supervisors and men specially aren't willing to speak out.
"People that are above them, see that the job is getting done. They don't look at the turn over in that position. People are leaving or there is a lot of stress. They keep that person because the numbers are good,” stated Ferguson.
Victims battle with verbal, physical and emotional abuse day in and day out. They're stuck between needing and job and not knowing what to do.
But former victims say to take the step, they weren’t able to make by speaking out.
"Get help, talk to somebody even if you’re not sensitive. Talk to somebody," said Michael, a former victim.
Ferguson with the Life Coach Institute says that harassment is usually one incident, while bullying is an ongoing cruelly targeting a specific person.
For more information on the Life Coach Institute call (432) 664-5833.