Recognising Early Signs of Harassment – Aware360

🔍 Recognising Early Signs of Harassment

1. Change in Tone or Body Language

Victims may display avoidance behaviours, a quieter tone, or withdrawn body language after encounters with a specific colleague.

⚠️ Subtle shifts like avoiding eye contact or skipping meetings may indicate distress.

Harassers may isolate individuals—excluding them from chats, decisions, or events, sometimes under the guise of jokes or cliques.

🧊 Cold shoulders, inside jokes, and non-invitations often go unnoticed until it's too late.

Harassment often begins as jokes or teasing that gradually increase in intensity or sexual tone.

🎭 “It was just a joke!” is a common defence—track patterns over time.

Informal complaints, sighs, or eye-rolls during conversations may indicate discomfort with certain behaviours or individuals.

🗣️ Take all discomfort reports seriously—even if phrased vaguely.

Victims may try to avoid confrontation by overworking—or they may disengage entirely.

📉 Sudden drops in morale or effort are red flags.

A person being harassed might dress more conservatively, change shifts, or avoid certain departments.

👕 Look for abrupt changes in routine, dress, or social behaviour.

Victims often adapt their movements to avoid perpetrators—especially in open plan offices or during breaks.

🧭 Watch for new seating arrangements, lunch breaks alone, or corridor avoidance.

If multiple complaints or resignations link back to the same person, it could point to a harassing influence.

🔁 High turnover around a specific team or manager needs review.

Witnesses may stay quiet due to fear of retaliation. Their silence does not mean the behaviour is acceptable.

👀 A culture of silence allows harassment to grow unchecked.

Even if not physical, personal remarks or unnecessary compliments may cause distress and lead to further escalation.

💬 Persistent comments about looks, lifestyle, or habits can cross boundaries.