I have been bullied on numerous occasions in television, but two extreme incidents which occurred years apart brought me to my proverbial knees. One was by a female boss and the other a male.
I used to go in to work crying and the minute I left I did the same all the way home. I was given tasks that were impossible for me to achieve and I was singled out on a daily basis. I felt totally isolated. I was told, despite years of experience in my field, that my competence was in question. If I said black, they said white. I couldn't do anything right.
I think they singled me out because I didn't just allow them to walk all over me and I was never a "yes" woman. I stood up for myself and the more I did it in front of them, the more they bullied me. They had the power over me because my contracts were so short. The most recent incident, I found the strength to walk away after having a panic attack in my doctor's surgery and being signed off work as a result. I never went back in to the office after that, I kept telling myself that life was too short. My confidence was left in tatters.
My years of working in television have brought such enormous joy and I've met some incredible people. Unfortunately, I've also worked with some really nasty and unpleasant people, who were simply bullies.
Fairness and justice are seriously lacking in television. It seems you can bully with impunity as very few people have worked for one company long enough to attain employment rights. I hate to think of new people coming into the industry having to navigate this minefield with the likes of my old bosses to contend with. I pray it will change for the better and those bullies are rooted out once and for all. There should be more protection for people in the television industry.
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