Sexual harassment at the workplace has many facets. Like any other situation, there are various stakeholders and each of them have their own perspective. But what is common amongst all is the impact of that incident on people’s mental health.
An incident of sexual harassment; its reporting, and its subsequent trial can have an impact of mental health of the aggrieved and also the other stakeholders such as the respondent and the IC members.
In our KelpHR- ILA session on Sexual harassment at Workplace and Mental Health , we explored the effect of the incident on the victim, the effect of malicious complaints on respondents and the effect of overwhelming responsibility placed on IC members.
The law ensures the redressal of the complaint, but restoration of mental well-being is equally important. Following are some of the ways in which one can heal themselves:
1. Acknowledge it
The most effective way to recover from trauma is to acknowledge that it happened. Denial causes the effect of the trauma to get suppressed and linger on longer, thereby affecting one physiologically. Coming to terms with reality and acknowledging that wellness is a process prepares and empowers the mind to tackle the situation and distress.
2. Identify your coping mechanism and create your safe space
Everyone has a different coping mechanism. While some put on a “brave” front and push back any thought of the past, the others may have a “breakdown”. One should recognize that giving oneself time to grieve only helps in overall recovery. But while you do that, seek comfort in people who are your support system and can help you with this recovery. Isolation should be avoided in such circumstances.
3. Find resilience in nature, art, music
Indulging oneself in art and music or travelling to be at one with nature helps the person find their expression. Singing, dancing, painting, crafts, pottery- one can explore several options to find one that resonates with them. Maintaining a gratitude journal also helps create positivity in one’s mind.
4. Claim your mind- seek counselling
Mental health is as important as physical health and thus going to a professional for your mental well-being helps an individual recover from the incident and re-integrate into their lives.
At KelpHR, our mental health and wellness counsellors and experts can help you with solutions for the mental health and well-being of your employees through our Counselling and Employee Assistance Programs. For more on our customized and confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) solutions that help provide mental health and wellness for organizations and their employees, do get in touch with us at info@kelphr.com, call +91-95001-29652. For any of our other services related to Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D, E&I), do get in touch with us at info@kelphr.com, call +91-95001-29652 and we’d be able to help you with customized offerings suited to your organization.
About KelpHR
KelpHR was incorporated in 2013 to provide the best HR solutions to organizations, and to improve workplace culture across the board. Over the last 8 years, we have serviced more than 700 clients in India and a few overseas, across various industries in the areas of POSH (prevention of sexual harassment at workplace), D, E & I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) and EAP. But the common objective of all of these services is to build safer, happier, inclusive and productive workplaces.
