How To Deal With Physical Harassment

How to deal with physical harassment splits into what to do immediately and what to do afterwards, and the order matters.

In the moment. Get away from the person. Do not try to manage the situation or reason with them. Tell someone straight away, even informally, because the first person you tell becomes a witness to your account.

Straight afterwards. Write down what happened while it is fresh, with the time and anyone present. Photograph any injury, dated. Seek medical attention if you need it, and be honest with the clinician about how it happened, because the record matters.

Then decide. Reporting to police is available and it is your decision. Your employer has its own obligations either way.

Support services are available at any point.

Safe Work Australia covers the duty owed to you. This is general information rather than legal advice, and obligations vary by state and territory.

See Sentrient’s occupational violence and aggression training and mental health and wellbeing course.