Harassment in the workplace is a serious violation of employment rights and can have long-lasting consequences for victims, both professionally and personally. A survey conducted by the Polish Anti-Discrimination Law Society between 2021 and 2023 shows that the vast majority of people who took part in the survey (over 80%) had experienced harassment in vocational education, the workplace and services. * These results highlight the scale of the problem and the need for effective action to address such abuse.
Introduction
Our interview room was approached by a client whose wife was employed by a large company in one of the largest cities in southern Poland. The woman, despite her experience and competence, had been facing difficulties in obtaining a promotion for a long time. During a conversation with her supervisor, when she raised the subject of career opportunities, she heard a refusal, after which the supervisor suggested an immoral condition on which the promotion would depend.
Due to the lack of evidence and the fear that her account would not be understood, the woman decided not to report the matter. Consequently, the husband, determined to clarify the situation, decided to contact our agency. He commissioned us to gather information about the supervisor, assuming that similar situations may have occurred to other women as well.
Analysis of the supervisor’s public information and reputation
The first stage of the investigation was to analyse publicly available information about the supervisor. We focused on his social media activity and reputation in the local community.
It turned out that the man had an orderly family life – he was married, had a child and his wife worked in the same industry, albeit at a different company. An analysis of his social media activity revealed that he presented himself as an eloquent and polite person, even in situations where he entered into a discussion with someone, he did so in a very balanced way. In addition, information gathered from local online groups confirmed that he had a good reputation among neighbours, who appreciated his helpfulness and involvement in charitable activities. During the course of the analysis, no information was found that could cast a shadow on his character or indicate suspicious behaviour.
Observation of daily life
The next step was to observe the man for several days to check his daily behaviour. This observation did not reveal any suspicious activities. The supervisor appeared to lead a calm and predictable life, which ruled out the possibility of obtaining information through this route.
Gathering opinions in the professional environment
In the absence of results from earlier stages of the investigation, we decided to focus on the suspect’s professional environment. We interviewed former colleagues and people from his industry to verify whether similar incidents may have occurred in other workplaces.
These interviews revealed that there were rumours in the professional environment about immoral proposals made by a man to women in exchange for a promotion. Additionally, some interviewees indicated that he was perceived as a cold and harsh person, which may have influenced victims’ reluctance to report their experiences.
Gathering evidence and testimony
The most important stage was to gather concrete evidence to support the allegations. Through our work, we were able to identify several people who had been victims of similar practices in the past.
Some of these individuals decided to share their experiences and provided substantial evidence of the supervisor’s actions. The material collected made it possible to confirm the client’s allegations and became the basis for further legal action.
Case outcome and conclusions
The collected material was passed on to the client, who, in cooperation with his wife and his lawyer, decided to report the case to the relevant institutions. Our actions made it possible to confirm the allegations, identify other victims and gather the evidence necessary to take further steps.
The investigation showed that even in the absence of direct evidence, information can be gathered to clarify the case. The use of OSINT methods and interviews with people associated with the suspect were crucial.
This case also highlights the importance of victims’ courage in exposing abusive behaviour and the need for support in the fight for justice. Exposing such practices can not only solve a specific case, but also contribute to preventing similar abuse in the future.
*Sources:
Author: Paulina Marek
*Client data has been anonymised prior to publication.
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