KOCHI: A 22-year-old girl, recently walked into a psychiatrist’s office in the city all lost. Immediately after college, she had landed on her dream job but her joy was short-lived as within a few months, a senior manager started making unwanted advances towards her.For eight months, she was stunned to silence. But her worst nightmare turned real when, during a conference, the manager left his room key on her table and walked off.This led to fear, confusion and anxiety in her and realizing that there was no one she can talk to, about the indecent behaviour of the manager, she sought the professional help of a psychiatrist.The girl’s case was not an exception. Even as the #MeToo movement has led to an outpouring of sexual harassment complaints, especially in workplace, from several women across the country, city-based psychiatrists said on an average, three to four women abuse survivors approach them for consultations in a month. “Now, many girls are willing to open up on harassment at workplaces as there is lesser stigma attached to such cases. The question before most of them is whether to speak out or stay silent and continue with their jobs. Their pain and anguish increases when the management decides not to act upon their complaints,” said psychiatrist Dr Philip John.Psychiatrists said most of the time, working women fear of the repercussions for their career if they open up and speak against the perpetrators. At the same time, the women are also aware that by remaining silent their professional as well as personal lives will suffer in the long run, they said. In some cases, the survivors have been forced to quit their jobs and it can make them depressed as a feeling of helplessness seeps in, the psychiatrists said.“Such cases are not uncommon. There are women who come to us with sexual harassment trauma. However,most of the time, they come with other issues related to their lives and their workplace situation is only an added woe,” said psychiatrist Dr CJ John. “Anyone who listens to people’s stories will obviously come across such cases and psychiatrists are no exception,” said Dr TR John, psychiatrist, Aster Medcity

Stay updated with all the Latest Kochi headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.