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How are UAE women harassed at workplaces

Abuse at workplace could be more than sexual or physical

Physical abuse: Pushing, hitting, slapping, punching and/or any other inappropriate physical actions.
Emotional or verbal abuse: Yelling, calling names, threatening in person or email, swearing, teasing or making fun of one's accent/religion/race/gender, embarrassing the person in front of co-workers/seniors without any valid reasons, constantly criticising the work produced, emotionally blackmailing with threats or spreading rumours over social media, blocking promotions, sabotaging a work or claiming it as his/her own effort, deliberately ignoring certain individuals at work and put them 'out of the loop.'
How UAE women can overcome harassment at workplace
Sexual abuse: Requests for sexual favours or unwanted sexual advances - sexual touching or forcing someone to have sex, showing pornographic pictures, unwelcome jokes or remarks by coworkers that makes one feel uncomfortable/offensive, especially in the presence of other person/s, creating or exhibiting photographs or computer screen savers of sexual nature, spreading sexual rumours, including those on social media, demands for dates or sexual favours, asking unwelcome questions about sexual activities, making an employee dress in a sexual or gender-specific way.
Financial abuse: Depriving employee of financial benefits - not providing additional pay for the extra hours of work beyond working hours, delay in salary payment, deducting wages without prior information or invalid reasons due to employer's personal reasons, imposing unreasonable fines, not abiding to the salary/wages mentioned as per the work contract.
Ways in which the UAE law protects female workers
Constantly being exposed to work-related abuse creates a great amount of stress, and may lead to long-term physical or mental health issues. This includes panic and anxiety, headaches, insomnia, nightmares, stress-related psychosomatic conditions, high blood pressure, depression, low self-confidence, suicidal ideation at times, increased sense of vulnerability, lethargy, loss of interest in daily activities and relationship issues within the family.
60% women face sexual harassment
According to statistics from the police, at least 60 per cent of women are subjected to sexual harassment but there are no particular numbers on workplace harassments.
Everything is not fair for the fairer sex
In 2002, the Dubai Police created Al Ameen service, an allocated 24 hours hotline, so that people could lodge a complaint. Action is taken confidentially. The police have also assigned patrols who can visit women at their places.
Police advise women to film the person or write the car number plate to ensure the suspect can be nabbed.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com