Lexicon of Abuse: Mobbing
What is Mobbing?
Mobbing is group bullying.
A group of people target a single victim with abusive behaviours. In the context of adult grooming, it is a tactic often used by the groomer to undermine their target, notably when the target seems about to ‘whistleblow’ on their behaviours.
In 1996 a researcher call ed Leymann described it as including the following :
Silencing, scolding, groundless and non-proportional persistent criticism which affects on the victims’ self-assertion and communication;
Refusing to talk to/engage with the victims, acting as if they did not exist, damaging the victims’ ability to maintain social contacts;
Gossip, slander, ridicule, threatening them with disciplinary procedures - all of these affect the victim’s reputation;
Denigrating the victims’ output, reducing their responsibilities without notice or justification, constantly changing tasks, giving them work tasks at a far lower level than the victim’s ability, affecting the victims’ life quality and employment;
Refusing ttraining, overloading with tasks, threats of physical violence and damage, direct sexual harassment.
Characteristics of Mobbing
Group-based: It is ganging behaviour akin to school playgrounds: a group of people working against one person.
Systematic and persistent/sustained: It’s not just a single incident, it’s a pattern of behaviour.Whilst some workplace or group dynamic discord is inevitable, mobbing is deliberate - systematic and persistent.
Intention: The goal of mobbing is to harm the target, often to force them out of their job or other environment. and can have severe consequences for the victim's mental health and professional reputation.
Context: Mobbing can happen anywhere there are groups of people, including in the workplace, education, social settings such as clubs/societies, and online.
What to do if you are experience mobbing
Studies into the rate of mobbing indicate that it’s higher than we might imagine.
Document everything: Keep a record of all incidents, including dates, times, and what happened.
Seek support: Confide in trusted friends, family, or a professional counselor. The National Bullying Helpline or the ACAS helpline may be useful for advice and support. As far back as 2008, psychologists recognised that a common consequence of mobbing is PTSD.
Report with care: If the mobbing is happening at work, you could consider reporting it to your HR department or to a manager. Some places suggest lodging a formal, written complaint to initiate an investigation. Our experience is that lots of companies have policies, but that the reality of the outcome is far more nuanced and that victimes effectively become ‘Whistleblowers’. (Which rarely turn out well!)
Look after yourself: Prioritise self care.
