Page 33 - 2024 - Q3 - Minerva in Focus

MINERVA IN FOCUS Stay Safe

Continuum Employee best practice #1:
Recognise prohibited behaviour
of Harm Prohibited behaviours are behaviours that create an unsafe work envi-
ronment for employees and are strictly unacceptable for the workplace.
A tool that can help us understand the connection between different
kinds of prohibited behaviour, including those of a sexual nature, is the
continuum of harm.
Professional Work The continuum of harm shows an escalation of behaviour that can lead
to sexual harassment or sexual assault. Tolerance or behaviour found
Environment on the top of the continuum supports or tolerates behaviour found on
the bottom, which is why you need to take a stand against all prohibited
behaviours of a sexual nature that fall within the continuum of harm.
• Engaged leadership
• Good order & discipline KEEP IT Employee best practice #2:
• Dignity & respect IN THE Understand the impact of sexual harassment and
• Ethical standards GREEN sexual assault
• Accountability The stress response, or the fight, flight or freeze response, is the
• Safe environment emergency reaction system of the body. A person cannot control how
their body will react when confronted with perceived anger. The brain
automatically makes that decision for the body in less than a second.
Early It is common for survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment
to experience the freeze response. Some victims/survivors may
Warning Signs feel confused when they experience a fight, flight or freeze stress
response and might not understand why they reacted in a certain
way. However, there is no right or wrong way to respond to a trau-
• Excessive flirting matic experience.
• Toxic atmosphere There are many ways in which trauma can affect victims/survivors
• Inappropriate jokes or comments including but not limited to:
• Disparaging comments on social media
• Inappropriate work relationships Emotional reactions: Physical reactions:
• Fear • Heightened awareness
• Isolation of surroundings
Sexual • Anger • Jumpy, skittish,
• Numbness
or nervous behaviours
Harassment • Confusion • Changes in eating
or sleeping habits
• Guilt
• Shame • Avoidance of certain
• Unsolicited sexually explicit texts or • Self-blame people or places that
emails • Denial trigger memories
• Unsolicited naked pictures • Powerlessness • Social isolation
• Indecent recording or broadcasting • Sadness & withdrawal
• Nonconsensual kissing or touching • Shock • Self-harming be-
• Indecent exposure haviours
• Indecent viewing Psychological • Conflict with family
• Shouting inappropriate, sexually sugges- reactions: or friends
tive, or threatening comments • Post-traumatic • Problems at school
• Sexual innuendos stress disorder (PTSD) or work
• Cornering or blocking • Anxiety
• Depression
• Flashbacks
Sexual Assault • Substance use or sub-
stance use disorder
• Suicidal thoughts and
• Rape suicide attempts
• Abusive sexual contact • Changes in memory and
• Sexual touching concentration
• Pinching
• Groping
• Physical force To read the full
• Sexual fondling Best Practices Guide,
scan the QR Code:

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