I was singled out
Colleen, Texas
I worked in an environment of approximately eighty people on my shift/department. During this time, I was repeatedly subjected to lewd jokes, sexual comments and gestures, physical contact, all of it unwelcome and disgusting. There was five men doing this to me.
I was one of three women, the other two married with husbands in the same department. My guess is being the only single woman is why I was singled out for this torment.
After six months of this BS I finally complained to my supervisor, crying. He told me it would be taken care of on Monday(this was a Friday). So extremely upset I left for the weekend after the supervisor told me we would all sit down and discuss the situation on Monday.
When I got to work that Monday, about half the men on my shift were conveying horrible looks at me. It got worse over the next few weeks. I was spit at and had cigarette butts thrown at me. This went on for about three weeks.
I had to see a doctor for meds for severe anxiety/depression. My blood pressure was high. I lost a lot of weight. My hair was falling out. I had trouble sleeping at night, and when I did sleep I had nightmares. Anytime I had to think about going to work I would shake uncontrollably.I felt like killing myself.
I don’t know how I lived through all of it. No self respecting individual should have to tolerate that type of behavior. That’s when I knew I would have to complain to EEOC to exercise my rights. My case is now pending with, of course, the harassers denying everything.
