Coping with Harassment at Workplace: Case of Divorced Women

Abstract

The aim of this exploratory study is to understand how divorced women – as a minority and vulnerable employee category - cope with harassment they experience at work within a culture of stigma and prejudice. Employing qualitative research methodology, in-depth interviews were carried out with 12 divorced working women. Findings indicated three main coping strategies and nine specific coping behaviours thereof, that the participants have employed in the face of harassment; a) avoidance (by ignoring and being silent; feigning ignorance and evading the work context), b) reactive (by being assertive; confronting the perpetrator and seeking social support) c) proactive (by hiding the divorced status; demonstrating a tougher self; and socially withdrawing). These externally focused and personal coping behaviours were nuanced attempts, at not only avoiding and preventing current and future harassment, but also current and future stigma and prejudice. The findings also draw attention to the ways these coping behaviours manifest the participants’ attempts at hiding their divorced status and their struggles at avoiding harassment and stigma, while attempting to project a more independent, strong and hardened self. All in all, these coping strategies of participants can complicate the settlement of harassment, indicating the need for well though-after interventions by organizations.