04/05/2026
I wanted to share a post I’ve just shared over on LinkedIn as this is very important……
Workplace “bullying” isn’t just a culture issue.
It’s a risk issue. And sometimes — it costs lives. We need to be very careful with language.
Because when we minimise behaviour as “bullying”, we risk overlooking what it actually is:
Control Intimidation Psychological entrapment!
Coercive control may not be a criminal offence outside of intimate or family relationships, but the behaviours don’t suddenly become harmless in other environments.
They still have impact.
They still destabilise.
And in some cases — they still end fatality.
Here’s the question most people don’t ask: If someone can behave like this so openly in the workplace… what do you think happens behind closed doors?
Because behaviour doesn’t exist in isolation.
It follows patterns. And those patterns don’t switch off at 5pm.
Minimising language doesn’t just enable behaviour.
It increases risk. Including the risk of: su***de self-harm further harm behind closed doors.
But there’s another part people don’t talk about enough: Intervention. Handled badly, you don’t just fail to fix the problem — you can make it worse.
Sometimes dangerously worse.
I’m not just speaking professionally. I’m speaking from personal experience.
When an issue was raised about my ex in the workplace, he didn’t direct his response at his employer, he directed it at me behind closed doors.
On one occasion, it almost ended fatally.
When I later raised the impact this had on me, responsibility was deflected.
The workplace does need to do better.
But it also needs to understand this: These situations are not just HR issues.
They are risk situations. And if we don’t recognise that, we don’t just miss the problem. We increase risk.
If you’re responsible for managing staff, safeguarding or workplace risk and want to move beyond awareness into real risk recognition and safe intervention, we provide trauma-informed training in this area.
Feel free to reach out.
