A sexual harassment lawsuit involving an Irish lady who was struck in the bottom with a ruler at a staff meeting was resolved for 90,000 pounds (about Rs. 90 lakh). The lady was allegedly forced to get up and turn around during a business meeting in 2021 by a male boss, who then struck her on the bottom with a ruler. The manager then apologised, ‘I’m sorry, I had to’. The lady stated that when she questioned another male manager there if it was permitted, the two men allegedly regarded the situation as a joke and informed other employees who had come at the meeting what had transpired.
The lady, who requests anonymity, claimed that when she tried to bring up the matter with the higher ups at her employer, which is situated in Northern Ireland, they initially ignored it for 10 days before finally upholding it after another five weeks. The woman said, in reality, that after she lodged a complaint with her previous employer, they claimed that she had ‘dressed and behaved provocatively’.
The woman was first ashamed to discuss the situation when it occurred, but she subsequently notified her bosses that she would not be coming back to work until the problem was resolved. Even though it was suggested that she meet the manager who slapped her and a more senior management off-site at a coffee shop to address the matter, she declined because she thought it was improper. She claimed that the manager she accused of hitting her afterwards quit.
Chief commissioner of the Equality Commission Geraldine McGahey called the event a disturbing and upsetting situation. The site quotes Ms. McGahey as saying that she felt more like a ‘perpetrator than a victim’ as a result of the probe. According to Ms. McGahey, ‘I believe it really indicates very clearly that this organisation has a really poisonous, laddish culture, and they simply didn’t respect or have any consideration for its women colleagues’.
She said that the woman ‘suffered extreme humiliation and disgrace. I really respect the complainant’s desire to maintain her anonymity and escape the shame and humiliation she believes are associated with it ‘,said Ms. McGahey. As a result of the settlement, the lady is now also collaborating with the equality commission to make sure that organisation has thorough policy on sexual harassment and appropriate training for personnel.
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