Harassment
Harassment is clearly understood as behaviour, which is intended to hurt or disturb. It is of an offensive nature, done in a repetitive manner aimed at threatening the victims by creating a hostile or unpleasant situation. This could be through uninvited and unwelcome physical conduct or verbal (Epstein & Gang, 2009).
There are different types of harassment. These include:
Psychological harassment: This is when a person is humiliated, intimidated by gestures or which hurt his/her emotions. This could be in form of abusive behaviour, verbal comments or playing jokes as a way of degrading someone (Epstein & Gang, 2009). It is repetitive and creates a harmful working environment.
Racial harassment: When individuals are discriminated on the base of their race or colour. Racial harassment also targets individuals of different ethnicity (Barbara, 2012). Words, actions and deeds designed and directed to the targeted individuals to make them feel degraded because of their colour, race or ethnicity.
Sexual harassment: Refers to unwanted and unwelcome words, gestures, disturbing and disgusting actions or behaviours of a sexual nature that make the targeted person feel uncomfortable(Epstein & Gang, 2009). This sexual conduct generally affects the dignity of the targets which could be either men or women. Sexual harassment includes gender and sexual orientation and can happen anywhere; however, schools and work places have reported extreme cases
Bullying: This is use of unwanted malicious and offensive behaviour which is to undermine an individual or group of people through negative attacks. It is usually taken the form of physical and psychological harassment. This could be done by individual or more persons and is meant to undermine, humiliate and demean the recipient.
Stalking: This is where there is unauthorized surveillance and following of an individual while intruding his/her privacy to the extent that the person fears for his/her safety. Distress is caused, and the victims` self esteem is lowered as they are made to feel threatened and intimidated.
Internet harassment: Involves the use of electronic tools such as email to send offensive messages to harass or abuse people. It is usually invisible.
Religious harassment: Where is where there is verbal, physical or psychological harassment directed to persons because of their choice to practice specific religion. Forced and involuntary conversions are part of religious harassment (Epstein & Gang, 2009).
Short-term psychological effects of harassment
Harassment makes the victims feel angry and shocked. The victim does not believe that he or she is singled for such inhumane behaviour. It throws individuals in complete denial as they do not believe it's happening to them, that people could be so heartless and lacks to understand what is happening to them(Barbara, 2012). A feeling of being powerless surrounds the victim as they feel the control of their circumstances has been taken away from them. They will feel degraded and humiliated.
Long-term psychological effects of harassment
The victims will be driven to thoughts of depression, little self esteem and low self esteem. Where the victim thinks any of their actions contributed to the harassment, they might feel deep guilt having brought the circumstances and feel very isolated. Ability to trust other or even themselves might be undermined (Epstein & Gang, 2009). As part of economic effect, the victims may quit or lose their jobs or quit school as they doubt those who are around them.
References
Barbara, A. (2012). Factors Inherent to the Online Environment that Increase the Likelihood
of Harassing and Prejudicial Behaviour. Misbehaviour Online in Higher Education,
25-42
Epstein G & Gang N. (2009). Ethnicity, assimilation and harassment in the labor market.
Ethnicity and Labor Market Outcomes, 57-88
