The invisible GBV in the workplace

With the 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence having come to an end, I am grateful abused women and men got a chance to be heard, understood and recognised.

What pains me, however, is the ignorance or unseen form of abuse. One almost working-class women has faced. Maybe there are men out there getting the same form of abuse as well, I don't know. So let me put it out there for everyone to know its effects, its repercussions. I thought I should share something that has led to the many divorces and lack of trust in marriage all because of this.

Correct me if I am wrong, but ladies have you not and are you not being psychologically being abused at work. No, I'm not talking about the most talked about sexual and psychological abuse. I am talking about the abuse where fellow male colleagues try to get at you and they fail then they start spreading lies that they have or the whole department or company has had sex with you or has been in some sort of relationship with you.

Ladies who work in industries that need you to travel a lot, have you not been accused of having had sex with all men you go to work trips with, as men claim to have had something with the woman. Well if you are unfortunate word will reach your husband or boyfriend that you had something with every Tom and Jack in the organisation, leading to divorces and tensions in relationships.

It is this form of abuse that has gone unseen, unrecognised unhelped (if there is such a word).

What pains the most is when your man believes these lies. It is more painful when the lies recur. When you think of jumping ship the issues follow you because you are a quiet person who can really stand up for yourself (people were raised differently).

It is unfortunate that this happens to the good women, the respectable and quiet women who have no beef with anyone. It's unfortunate that they cannot be heard and have no one to cry out to, no one believes them, except women who would have fallen into the same predicament, well that's if they would have aired out their grievance.

Unfortunately, most of them walk with their heads high not knowing that the men have finished spreading lies about having had relationships or sex with them. It is also unfortunate that her man will probably listen to this and believe these other men and not his girl or woman. It is really unfortunate.

I really do wish this form of PSYCHOLOGICAL abuse where to be shared. I know lots of women are in this predicament and have no one to share it with. This destroys a woman's confidence and they end up not enjoying their work with others preferring to leave their jobs and staying at home doing their own thing.

It is never about what they wear. It's not one's fault that they are beautiful, quiet, nice or are a good person, reserved and not good at shouting at people. People are and were raised differently.

I just wish men would respect women who give them respect and not take advantage of their being nice.

I am sure the same applies to some men, but women really need help. This patriarchal society we leave in will not disappear it seems it's here to stay and women will always be abused at any cost.

Women need help, especially those in male-dominated professions and those who travel a lot in their profession. Ignoring and not being interested in men is not a crime. If one needs a woman and is so desperate I am sure there are brothels. Respect respectable people.

Respect respect respect!!!!