POSH (Workplace Harassment & Silence)
At first, nothing felt serious enough to question. The comments were framed as jokes. The messages came after work hours. I told myself it was just awkwardness and that I should ignore it.
Over time, the pattern became harder to dismiss. Certain meetings made me uncomfortable. Boundaries felt unclear, but I didn’t know whether what I was experiencing was “serious enough” to speak about.
I hesitated because I didn’t want to be labelled difficult or misunderstood. I wasn’t sure who I could talk to or whether my workplace had a proper internal committee. I also didn’t know what the process looked like — what would happen if I spoke up, or whether my identity would remain protected.
So I stayed silent.
The silence started affecting my confidence and my work. I began avoiding interactions instead of addressing the issue, hoping it would resolve on its own.
When I finally sought guidance outside the workplace, I realised how much clarity matters. Understanding what constitutes inappropriate behaviour, what POSH mechanisms are meant to do, and how complaints are supposed to be handled changed how I saw the situation.
I learned that many people don’t stay silent because they accept the behaviour — they stay silent because they don’t know the process or fear the consequences.
What I Learn
POSH concerns often escalate due to lack of awareness, unclear reporting mechanisms, and fear of repercussions — not because the issue is insignificant.
