If you or someone you know has been a victim of #VerbalAbuse in the workplace, please join the #MicUp movement.  Verbal abuse causes anxiety, depression and can leave emotional scars for years!  Although my current workplace has a good atmosphere, I have been a victim of verbal abuse in previous workplaces and I finally found the courage to speak up about it.  I recently shared my story at the American Meteorological Society Centennial / 48th Broadcast Conference in Boston.

CALL TO ACTION:  For change to occur, we collectively need to make noise.  This behavior is illegal and should not continue to be tolerated and swept under the rug. 

- Use hashtag #MicUp on all social media platforms.

- Please share your story.

- Contact influencers.

- Reach out to organizations and non-profits.

- Talk to your company HR department and management.

I surveyed 489 broadcast meteorologists.  2/3 of the respondents have either been a victim of, or witnessed verbal abuse at their TV station.  142 respondents consider their TV station to be a hostile work environment. This is NOT ok. 

Examples:

"You are mentally and physically slow." (made employee sign a paper saying so in front of the entire newsroom) - News Director 

"You will never amount to anything in this business because you come from a hispanic background... and because you're a female."  - News Director 

"If you want to make it to network, you need to sleep your way to the top." - News Director 

“Gay men don’t belong in television. You need to come across as straight. Our viewers don’t respond well to gays.” —News Director 

Please follow #MicUp to see more...