Bullying press release #7: Internet web site counters workplace bullying epidemic

INTERNET WEB SITE COUNTERS WORKPLACE BULLYING EPIDEMIC

NEWS RELEASE

from the

UK National Workplace Bullying Advice Line

Those who can, do. Those who can't, bully.

That bullying comprised the largest number of calls (38%) to the TUC's Bad Bosses Hotline came as no surprise to UK National Workplace Bullying Advice Line founder Tim Field. To meet soaring demand for his Advice Line (over 2200 cases in two years), he has now launched the world's leading Internet web site devoted to tackling workplace bullying, Bully OnLine at

Twenty pages of insight and information include the profile of the serial bully at

workbully/serial.htm

where their behaviour is mapped on to the DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD). Most of Field's 2200+ Advice Line cases involve a serial bully, whose low self-esteem but high intelligence results in psychological, rather than physical, violence.

Field believes he may be the first person to identify the profile of the serial bully. "Whilst we all recognise physical violence, we are only just learning how to recognise psychological violence", he notes. "Without blood, bruising or broken bones, the victim's testimony is often the only evidence."

Most victims don't report their abuser fearing that "no-one will believe me". Usually, no-one does, thus the abuse may go undetected for years. Like most abusers, the serial bully is a compulsive liar with a Jekyll and Hyde nature who can be plausible and charming; however, the validity of their testimony in appeal hearings and in tribunal and court under oath is suspect.

Most targets of bullying can't believe their boss has more in common with a sociopath than a manager, but it's estimated that 1 in 30 people exhibit APD. "At the moment, the most likely consequence for a psychologically violent bullying manager is promotion", Field adds wryly.

The page at

stress/ptsd.htm

maps the symptoms of psychiatric injury caused by bullying on to the DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Half the population suffers "stress" but many don't realise they have PTSD symptoms. Field believes the main - but least recognised - cause of stress is bullying. As abused employees recognise that stress causes psychiatric injury (which is not a mental illness) so personal injury claims caused by bullying are escalating.

"Bullying is behind all discrimination, harassment and abuse" says Field. Over the last year there have been several six-figure in- and out-of-court settlements in harassment and discrimination cases. One seven-figure settlement was rumoured. In most cases, taxpayers foot the bill. With council tax rises well above inflation again, taxpayers should be asking how much of their council tax is wasted paying bullying managers and funding court settlements.

"The purpose of bullying is to hide inadequacy" reveals Field. "Bullies are weak, immature, inadequate individuals who project their inadequacy on to others to avoid facing up to their inadequacy and - most importantly - to divert attention away from their inadequacy. In an insecure workplace, this is how inadequate and incompetent people keep their jobs."

For further press information contact:

Tim Field
Author - Speaker
Founder, UK National Workplace Bullying Advice Line
Author, Bully in sight: how to predict, resist, challenge and combat workplace bullying
Telephone 0700-ACHIEVE (2244383) Fax 07000-785776
Success Unlimited, PO Box 67, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 9YS, UK

Tim Field gives seminars on workplace bullying, speaks regularly at conferences, and appears on radio, television and in print media. He welcomes interviews and opportunities to raise awareness of bullying at work.

Information for readers, listeners and viewers
For those not in the Internet, a workplace bullying information sheet and newsletter are available from the UK National Workplace Bullying Advice Line:
For a copy send an A4 or A5 stamped addressed envelope with two loose second class stamps to
Workplace Bullying, Dept PR, PO Box 67, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0YH, UK

Bully OnLine is at

The following are a selection of pages accessible from the Home Page

The profile of the psychologically violent bully with Antisocial Personality Disorder
(almost everybody knows at least one person in their life with this profile - boss, partner, neighbour?)
This page maps, perhaps for the first time, the behaviour of the bully on to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder, also Paranoid and Narcissistic Personality Disorders.
workbully/serial.htm

The psychiatric injury caused by bullying
(often diagnosed as "stress" or "anxiety")
This page explains, probably for the first time, a) why targets of bullying and harassment are often unable to pursue legal action, and b) the difference between mental illness and psychiatric injury.
stress/ptsd.htm

Legal information relating to bullying
action/legal.htm

Links to resources, people, and organisations tackling bullying worldwide
resources/links.htm

Definition

DSM-IV: The American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (Fourth Edition) contains definitions of all recognised psychiatric disorders. For a medical person to diagnose a disorder, the patient must fulfil the relevant diagnostic criteria defined in DSM-IV.

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