“In the private sector, if you report sexual harassment you can lose your job, but in the state you will be leveled. Elpida, 52, a civil servant who reported sexual harassment to her boss, now lives in her daily hell. “According to my reports, he responded with a lawsuit for libel, and I, in turn, with a lawsuit against the ministry,” he explains to “K”. “I was given bad reviews, I became a target.”

“Until now, there has been a false impression that since the permanence of employees in the public sector is guaranteed, there will be no sexual harassment,” said Dr. Maria Stratigaki, a professor at Panteillon University and an equality expert. However, in a related study prepared by a multidisciplinary team led by her on behalf of the ADEDY Social Polycenter, sexual harassment in the public sector is presented as an existing problem that does not have a legislative basis for its solution. Judging by the responses of 697 civil servants in the relevant questionnaires, as well as 26 female civil servants in the course of personal interviews, senior hierarchical officials engage in abusive, obscene or hostile behavior without consequences. When harassment is reported, the usual reaction is a downgrade. Most women say they were retaliated when they reported sexual harassment. “They are not losing their jobs, but they are losing their quality of life, and it is they who are changing the work environment, not the rapists,” he emphasizes.

“In some cases, participants did not respond to the harassment, either as victims or as witnesses, because the perpetrator had connections or many employees participated with him in illegal activities within the service,” Dr. Stratigaki concludes. a number of proposals for the creation of a protocol. “It is necessary to introduce the concept of sexual harassment into the disciplinary legislation of civil servants, the reference to “encroachment on sexual freedom” is not enough,” he explains, “it is necessary to define a treatment protocol.” During the period 2009-2012, when Ms. Stratigaki was Secretary General for Equality, an Equality Action Plan was developed and funded through the NSRF in every ministry, 13 regions and 15 major municipalities. “We have implemented a gender mainstreaming policy, we expected all agencies to promote equality, have a competent office and a specialized scholar in their field.” The regions and municipalities implemented the above concept with greater or lesser efficiency, but it did not take root in the ministries. “It was not my idea, it was a policy that has been implemented in the EU countries for years,” he concludes.

Elpida passed in 2001 through ASEP to the state with the ultimate goal of permanence. “At that time, we appointed six people in this category, and we experienced the concept of a “cap” in our own skin,” he recalls today, “senior employees cursed us, believing that we took the places of their children.” Today, 21 years later, it sounds strange. – But after all, you met not only with father and son in the same service, but even with relatives of the third degree of kinship. Despite the difficulties, Elpida, hired with a high school diploma, also completed night school and gradually managed to rise to an administrative worker. “I was orphaned by my mother at the age of six, by my father at the age of twelve, and I have been self-employed since I was fourteen when I got my first job.” She thought that the lowest paid civil service position would give her peace and stability. However, Elpida’s dreams were dashed when she was appointed to the fateful post in 2017.

“You like it, but you don’t know it.” It was a constant refrain in Hope’s every protest to her “absent-minded” boss.

“You like it, but you don’t know it.” It was a constant refrain in every protest of Elpida, who coexisted in the same office with her “absent-minded” boss for about four years. “From the very beginning it seemed strange to me that he, as a boss, did not want to have his own office,” he notes. Then “cold jokes” and requests “to speak to him in the singular” began. “My baby” or “beba” was the standard term used in the office, even in front of other employees. “From day one, I showed my annoyance and asked for respect,” she says, “but he didn’t listen to me, who as the months went by began to veer and address my face with pavement characteristics.” Of course, the way he treated women in general “was extremely dismissive.” As an ideal alternative, he considered her own transfer to another service, which, however, had to approve and sign for … himself. “Damn the world, you and I will stay in the same office,” he said in a monologue. “First, I reached out to my older woman, telling her that it would be good if the principal gently brought him back to the classroom,” says the 52-year-old woman, who did not receive a response, so she asked to speak. herself. Although Elpida’s request was labeled as a “private matter”, the manager stated that he didn’t have enough time and kept postponing the discussion until… More At the end, a discussion took place in the presence of both parties and eyewitnesses. “However, when he took the floor, it was my boss who, although he had previously given me excellent grades, stated that I was inadequate and disobedient to his orders.” A more “closed” meeting followed, during which Elpida was asked to change his post and promise not to report or exercise his legal rights while on or off the job. “However, now I was scared, so I contacted our union’s legal adviser, who pointed out to me that there were three different offenses: sexual harassment, intimidation and abuse of power.” Her report reached the highest echelons, from where she received a verbal apology.

What did the EDE decide?

“It took months for the EDE to get going and the Ombudsman had to apply pressure.” However, EDE supported Elpida’s boss, who said that all her actions stemmed from her unwillingness to work. During the Cold War, they continued to work in the same office for nine months. Then she changed posts until she returned to her original, organic position. He sued her for libel, accusing her of “low education and class”. Elpida sued the state, which did not protect her from mental suffering and, as a result, psychosomatic diseases.

Could the issue have been resolved earlier, before they got to court? “If there was the will of the authorities, this could be resolved internally,” Elpida answers a reasonable question, “but this is a male environment in which I, who dared to declare sexual harassment, is considered by everyone to be a foreign body.” Lack of empathy and education, as well as a lack of protocol for managing such cases, are some of the pathologies that emerge in Elpida’s story (spa full details at K’s disposal).

I protested and was transferred

“You are small and ephemeral.” That is how he described the 33-year-old subordinate head of the civil service ten years ago. “He threw me this rant when he offered a candy for his holiday, and I chose the smallest one,” Eleni, 43, comments today. “I was impressed, but didn’t want to continue,” he recalls. “He was in his 50s, he had a drinking problem, he didn’t come across as a double, but as a split personality,” he describes, “he felt that his service was replenished with new graduates and that he had to constantly prove his worth.” She herself, new to the state, with two degrees and three languages, was probably an “invisible” threat to him. A few weeks later, he pointed to a hotel next to the service, “where we can go together,” and when cutting the New Year’s cake, he thundered what her … gift would be if she fell from the tinsel. A few minutes later, Eleni was in the director’s office, screaming and crying. “I was ready to report.” However, the director reassured her and, using summary procedures, forced the offender to resign. “A few years later I met him at a training, he told me: “I have to apologize for the time, I was going through a divorce and was in a strange phase.”

Eleni is later transferred to one of the male-dominated ministries, a position of responsibility alongside a charismatic civil servant. “I admired him for what he had achieved, but he shocked me with the way he talked about women,” she recalls. “I showed him my displeasure and my intention not to continue such discussions.” After some time, instead of another answer, a colleague made an insulting gesture, and Eleni was informed that she was being transferred back to her previous position. “Now I understand how the system works,” she notes bitterly, who now, with this experience, is ready to support her colleagues when they decide to go to court. “I signed other women’s report of an incident I witnessed and this is a move that again caused me to suffer adverse consequences.”

The same in the Armed Forces

He froze the audience at the 1st Information Day of the POMENS (Panhellenic Federation of Military Unions) Gender Equality Secretariat, when three anonymous testimonies from employees about sexual harassment, domestic violence, and bullying due to sexual orientation were heard. The event, which took place in May, was attended by representatives of all parties, the Assistant Ombudsman and a number of lawyers, while the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Maria Syregela, also gave an online speech. “Our secretariat was established in 2020 as we are in constant communication with female colleagues in the administration and military units, so we had indications that in our male space with a strict hierarchy, sexist speech and offensive behavior is a common occurrence” , – says the secretary Katerina Chiurcidu “K”.. “Many colleagues confuse military culture with life, discipline with caps,” he adds. “I have been contacted by many women who wanted to report violence but were hesitant due to the lack of an institutional framework,” he explains. “Those who have dared so far have paid a heavy price.” Military or civil servants belonging to the LGBTI community are at a disadvantage. “They face extreme situations, bullying, threats, anonymous phone calls, etc. We are equally at the disposal of men, women and LGBTI people,” she notes.

The conference also featured proposals such as leadership training on equality and gender-based violence, the adoption of a protocol based on NATO recommendation standards, cooperation between the existing Department of Defense Equality Office and the General Secretariat. for equality, etc. “Leadership plays a very important role and can help change the mentality of those who are lower in the hierarchy if they clearly declare zero tolerance for gender-based violence,” concludes Ms. Chiurcidu. “We applaud the Air Force’s decision to educate its military on equality,” he adds.

Numbers

• 21% considered leaving their job due to workplace misconduct based on gender.
• 22% have experienced behavior they consider sexual harassment.
• 43% witnessed/heard offensive or inappropriate sexual jokes, innuendo or comments in the workplace.
• 36% do not feel comfortable reporting sexual harassment by a colleague.
• 47% consider the procedures adopted by the service to report and punish such behavior as incomprehensible and inapplicable.