Abuse 101: Recognizing Abuse of Power

Abuse? That's not news to us. Abuse in the workplace? The idea has not been that long, but the incidences have. Women employee abuse? Not entirely known or understood by people, unless you mention its most popular form which is sexual harassment.

The problem is, people have somehow become so accustomed to such violence against women for a long time – probably from the forefathers of our forefathers, when Neanderthal Man simply bonked Neanderthal Woman senseless on the head if he liked her enough – that we practically have gone immune to it. We have learned to let things slide so much so that we have forgotten how to recognize it. Worse, women have forgotten to protect themselves simply because they don't know if and/or when they should.

But hey, it's the Modern World now! It's high-time that the Modern Woman carry a bigger stick and hit back when necessary. Even if she has to create noise in the office to send her message across: “I am Woman, hear me ROAR!!!”

Recognizing Abuse of Power
What is abuse of power? It is a concept that those in the higher-ups never really tell and yet they practice it. They don't normally admit it to one another because it's embarrassingly a sign of weakness and insecurity, but oh yes, it's there, annoyingly swimming in our heads. We know but we don't want to care.

Abuse of power is the misuse of authority at the workplace. In other words, employee abuse, which, in a more discriminatory form, specifically women employee abuse. Studies have shown that even when it comes to such things as ugly as this, there is still a hierarchy involved – men first before women.

What makes it an abuse of power?
In the office, power is in the hands of those on top of the command chain. Ergo, these are the company owners, bosses, supervisors, managers, etc. Anyone who gets to lead people – or terrorize, depending on who it is – has power, at least over the people under him/her. Abuse of power most often occurs in the context of supervisor-subordinate relationships. Most often, but not always.

The abusive party may also be someone of equal rank, even a subordinate, or someone outside of the reporting relationship. As long as the perpetrator feels/knows he has something over the other person, that gives him power, whether for real or simply perceived. This only adds to the growing incidence of women employee abuse, particularly of sexual harassment.

What are the forms of power abuse?
Abuse of power often takes the form of harassment and those such as mentioned below:

speech – saying insults
tone – raising voice and using offensive language
isolation – completely ignoring an employee or staff members
threats – forcing the offended party into submission by expressing intent to affect his/her future employment conditions – performance appraisals, promotions and the likes personal requests – asking the offended party to carry out personal errands and duties inside and outside the workplace malicious actions – intentional interference that affects a colleague's work negatively unethical demands – pressure on staff to distort certain facts for a particular agendum

What are the examples of abuse of power?

• physical attacks
• persecution of employee
• shouting or swearing (especially if habitual) at employee regardless of place
• spontaneous show of rages regardless of depth of issue
• public humiliation, personal insults and name-calling
• rumor-mongering
• intentional cold-shoulder treatment (freezing out, ignoring or excluding)
• deliberate talking to a third party to isolate another
• putting low esteem on employee or undervaluing his/her effort
• propensity to dispense punishment without prior notice

Recognizing Sexual Harassment
Any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favor or other verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature maybe considered as sexual harassment.

As mentioned, it is the most popular form of women employee abuse, which is a form of violence against women. This abuse is in a separate league, so to speak, as it involves sexual malice. While such happens even in streets, it is more related to the workplace and even in schools. And though anyone is capable of sexually harassing others, the usual victim is a woman and the usual suspect, the male boss.

Because it happens in the workplace, it can naturally yet unreasonably interfere with work, be used as a condition of employment, or create an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.

What are the categories of sexual harassment?

There are two categories of sexual harassment.

Quid pro quo. There are sexual advances or requests for sexual favors. These become a condition of employment or continuation of employment. The decision to take or keep the victim under employment will depend on how willing – or how not – she is to accept these advances and requests. In other words, a woman who is not “game” should consider herself as good as unemployed.

Hostile work environment. Sometimes, the sexual conduct of the perpetrator could be too annoying, bothersome or even downright scary for the victim, her work becomes affected. It can be so serious to the extent of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.

These are only the basics of abuse of power where stems women employee abuse. As always, we have to start with the smaller details to be able to understand the bigger picture. And for the women, remember, it is in knowledge where true power arises.

For more information on sexual harassment and women employee abuse, visit: http://womenemployeeabuse.wordpress.com ; http://womenemployeeabuse.wordpress.com/2010/07/09/mariano-tanenglian-faces-charges-against-housemaid-abuse/

Article Source: http://www.LinkSnoop.com