Melbourne woman to hit the road to highlight workplace bullying
A victim of sexual harassment at work is travelling alone around Australia in a bid to drive awareness about the psychological impact of sexual harassment and bullying and raise much-needed funds for charity.
According to research, half of all Australian women and one in four men have been sexually harassed in the workplace. After surviving bullying, intimidation and harassment in her workplace and being moments from death-by-suicide, Annie Gregory has decided to fight back.
Leaving her home in Melbourne in December, Annie is commencing a solo journey around Australia with not much more than the clothes on her back and won’t return home until she makes a positive impact, calling her adventure The Penelope Project.
“My experience with workplace bullying ended my career. It left me feeling ashamed and afraid to speak up, leaving me completely isolated. I developed trust issues, mental health issues and it has damaged some of my relationships.
“The worst thing is, when I started therapy to assist with my own mental health, I was devastated to meet others as broken as I was. So enough is enough, we need to combat the issue of workplace bullying,” said Annie, workplace harassment victim and founder of The Penelope Project.
Annie and The Penelope Project’s aim in the journey around Australia is to raise funds for the charity, Beyond Blue, to break down the stigma of mental illness and generate awareness about the impact of bullying, intimidation and harassment has on individuals daily, in a bid to advocate for change and prevention. But, most importantly to stand up and support others also walking in Annie’s shoes.
“We need the victims of workplace bullying to feel empowered to work with organisations to reform policies and take a stance on tackling these issues. But to help these victims we need to fight back. The Penelope Project campaign is set out to ensure every employer understands what they can do to help prevent harassment at work,” said Annie.
Annie looks to be an inspiration to all those impacted by mental illness on a journey set to start in Melbourne and heading through many destinations in Australia. Although she struggles every day with depression and anxiety, Annie is determined to turn the corner and heal herself through increasing social awareness.
“If every company makes simple changes, we can end the harassment for both men and women in the workplace, which has happened for generations. We all have a right to be protected in our workplace, no one should be a victim or suffer in silence,” added Annie.
People can support Annie and get involved in The Penelope Project by sponsoring a logo on her t-shirt or other gear she uses along the way. People or businesses can show support in putting a stop to bullying and harassment.
For those wanting to show support in other ways, they can simply donate to the charity campaign with Beyond Blue who promotes good mental health, tackling stigma and discrimination. Annie is also calling for anyone wishing to work with her to champion for change in Australian businesses and organisations.
The journey around Australia will be done via walking, cycling, and other forms of transport. Annie will donate her time to work, prepared to give anything a try, to learn about good work practices in exchange for accommodation and transport so she can continue.
Annie is set to start her journey around Australia on Saturday, December 15th.
