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A male coworker made sexual remarks about me. One of the managers saw and heard it but did not confront him. The company owner has a very violent temper, so out of fear, I did not report it.

However, one day this person threatened to punch me in the face, so I felt I had to speak up. Since the manager was off, I called the owner. My aggressor admitted to the owner that he had threatened me, but he said he was joking. The owner just asked him to apologize to me, and asked us to "get along" if we wanted to keep our jobs.

Next day, I heard the owner telling the manager that he was tired of hearing my complaints, and he didn't want to hear about it any more. I confronted the owner and told him that if he wasn't going to help me, I would make a police report. He responded aggressively, asking me to go ahead with the police report, and said that he would tell the police I wasn't threatened at work.

I asked him why he had a problem with me. He pointed out that I had complained about other coworkers in the past, and that he wasn't going to keep dealing with the issue. He also remarked that "something was wrong with me".

After this incident, the manager stopped talking to me, and the owner doesn't even look at me any more. I find it so difficult to work in this environment. I am losing my appetite, I can't sleep, and I feel a huge fear every day I go to work.

What can I do to deal with this situation?

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    Please also add what country you are in. Laws and customs are different in different places.
    – user16259
    Commented Feb 25, 2018 at 14:59
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    Sorry to hear the situation you're in - but this isn't really something the Internet can help you with. If strongly suggest talking to a doctor about the issues the stress is causing you and probably a lawyer about your employment issues.
    – Philip Kendall
    Commented Feb 25, 2018 at 15:18
  • @gnat I went ahead with cleaning up walls of text and some unnecessary details, I hope this question is more readable now. I think this is a useful question to have, although it probably needs some more editing before it can be answered properly.
    – Masked Man
    Commented Feb 25, 2018 at 15:24
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    Have you complained about other coworkers like he says you have? What happened in those cases?
    – Monica Cellio
    Commented Feb 25, 2018 at 19:40
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    Have you considered contacting an attorney to register your sexual harassment complaint?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Commented Feb 25, 2018 at 20:47

3 Answers 3

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Document everything - what was said by whom, who was around when it was said, and what response your manager and company owner had to you reporting it.

Start looking for another job.

If the sexual harassment continues, keep recording it, and seek advice from a lawyer.

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    There are quite a few locales where recording people without their knowledge could land you in jail. The only option here is to talk to a lawyer first, then decide what to do.
    – ChrisLively
    Commented Feb 27, 2018 at 0:58
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    @NotMe sorry, when I said record I meant a written record rather than an audio recording - have fixed it so it's more clearly saying to document everything
    – HorusKol
    Commented Feb 27, 2018 at 1:28
  • That sounds far better.
    – ChrisLively
    Commented Feb 27, 2018 at 1:34
  • Good answer, finding another job while she has one will be easier for her. Also sue this piece of garbage.
    – Neo
    Commented Mar 7, 2018 at 12:33
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  1. Find proof. Record the sexual harassment (screenshots of texts, messages, etc). Find witnesses that are willing to give testimonies.
  2. Know your rights. If you are in the United States, you are protected under Title IX federal law.
  3. Report to the police and get an attorney.
  4. Look for another job with a positive, humanitarian work environment.
  5. Take care of your mental health. Try meditation to help you stay grounded and centered.
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    Agree (+1), but be aware that voice recording without the other party's consent could be illegal and could land you on more trouble than the other guy. Sad, but true
    – Mawg
    Commented Feb 26, 2018 at 8:07
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In this case, you need to hire an attorney to sue the owner, possibly the manager, and the company. The terrible behavior displayed by all parties is despicable. I would also consult with your attorney as to the impact of your case should you leave your job while suing the company.

Your lawyer will go through the steps you need to take in order to best build up your case.

Ultimately for your own well being, you need to move on to a better company even if you win the case. You just may have to alter the timing of your move base on what is best for your law suite.

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