Sexual Harassment In Employment | Sad Reality For Many Female Employees

In professional circles, it is assumed that every woman is subjected to serious sexual harassment at least once in her life, whether physically, for example when women endure unwanted touching from colleagues or especially superiors out of fear of losing their job, or verbally, as virtually every woman experiences multiple times in her life: sometimes crude propositions in the street, sexist remarks everywhere, etc. Below, we would like to present a case example from Kurtz Investigations Dortmund that relates to this issue and took place in the workplace.

Around 1,600 hours per year are worked by a full-time employee in Germany, not including overtime. Some employees see their colleagues more frequently than their families. It is therefore inevitable that friendships and even relationships develop among them, sometimes even resulting in marriage. At times, however, employees develop feelings for someone who does not reciprocate them and who must defend themselves against unwanted advances in the workplace with the assistance of our Dortmund detectives, as the following case shows:

Case Example Of Sexual Harassment

Karolina S. (all names changed), having just come of age, had completed her school education, spent a year abroad and, upon her return, applied for an apprenticeship at a small butcher’s shop in Dortmund; she wished to become a specialist sales assistant in butchery. The small company consisted of the main shop with an attached butchery and a branch in a neighbouring suburb. For two years everything was fine, Karolina got on very well with her colleagues and with the owner couple, Mr and Mrs Kronen, and she enjoyed her work. Then her employer hired a butcher’s assistant, Mr Winterberg, who had been convicted of repeated assault and released early due to good conduct. During the first few weeks everything was as usual, but then Mr Winterberg began touching Karolina’s bottom without being asked or brushing against her breasts in passing. This was naturally extremely unpleasant for her, but due to the coarse manner and brutal posturing of her dubious colleague, she did not dare to say anything. She tried to avoid encountering him, which, however, proved difficult in a small business.

Although her best friend urgently advised her to complain to her employer or to contact the police or the detectives of Kurtz Detective Agency Dortmund known to her friend, Karolina was not sure whether she had truly become the victim of a criminal offence. Typical doubts of victims of sexual harassment ran through her mind: Did I provoke him? Did I overreact and now want to interpret every accidental touch as deliberate harassment? She decided against any of the measures recommended by her friend and continued going to work, albeit full of anxiety. Mr Winterberg, however, did not relent. Moreover, he always made sure that nobody witnessed his repeated assaults, so that Karolina did not even have witnesses to his harassment. She was relieved when the butchery closed after 15:00 and was therefore empty, as she could then be certain that Mr Winterberg was at home as well.

Escalation Shortly Before Closing Time

One afternoon – before the shop closed – Karolina, as she later told our private detectives in Dortmund, went into the butchery with a stack of serving plates to wash them. While she was standing at the sink and running water into it, she felt someone pressing against her from behind and embracing her. Startled, she dropped a plate, turned around and pushed the person away – it was Mr Winterberg. She then tried to reach the sales area, but Mr Winterberg blocked her path. She turned and ran towards the butchery door leading out into the yard. He merely laughed when she reached the door and realised it was locked. The assistant showed her the key and then put it into his trouser pocket. If she wanted it, she would have to take it out of there, he said. Karolina shouted at him to leave her alone, but he approached her and pushed her against a table in the corner. He then reached between her legs. She tried to push him away, but he was much stronger and leaned his full weight against her. Afterwards he attempted to kiss her, but she turned her head away. At that moment, a colleague called from the sales area that Karolina should bring her meat from the cold store. Mr Winterberg then released Karolina. Visibly distressed, she rushed into the sales area with the meat and tearfully reported the assaults to her colleague. The sales assistant, already over 50 years old, advised her, just as Karolina’s friend had previously done, to inform the employer and file a complaint with the police.

Consultation With A Female Detective In Dortmund

The following morning, Karolina asked her employer and his wife for a meeting during which she reported the repeated incidents. Both were shocked but initially found it difficult to believe her. They considered it unlikely that someone released for good conduct would risk reimprisonment for “such nonsense”. Mr Kronen – the company owner – asked Karolina whether she had any evidence of Mr Winterberg’s behaviour, which of course she did not. The employer then stated that there was little he could do against his assistant, but that he would certainly speak to him. He did so, yet Mr Winterberg naturally denied all accusations and referred to Karolina to Mr Kronen as a “pubescent, man-eating Lolita”. The company owner informed Karolina of the outcome of the conversation and stated that he could not dismiss Mr Winterberg based solely on suspicion. Karolina promised that she would somehow prove his behaviour – she just did not yet know how.

After work, Karolina spoke with her friend about the incident and the subsequent discussions, whereupon her friend once again advised her to contact the police. Karolina declined, as she felt extremely uncomfortable at the thought of having to describe the incidents to a police officer. She was more open, however, to the suggestion of hiring a detective agency. She began researching her options and gathered information about Kurtz Detective Agency Dortmund in order to learn about their approach and fees in such a case. Surveillance would certainly be a good solution to her problem, which could then be documented and photographed. She contacted Kurtz Investigations Dortmund and was able to arrange an appointment with a female investigator at short notice. As early as the following day, she described the incidents in the butchery to the detective, as well as the discussions with her employer, who, due to the lack of evidence, was unable or unwilling to take countermeasures.

Cooperation Between Investigators And The Employer

Our detectives in Dortmund contacted Mr Kronen the same day and requested his support. The plan was to place the female investigator within the business as a new sales assistant. Normally, detectives conducting surveillance should remain inconspicuous so that they are not noticed by the target person. For case-specific reasons, however, a conspicuously attractive investigator was deployed here in order to draw Mr Winterberg’s attention and document any potential assaults against the detective. This operational method has two advantages: firstly, the detective was able to observe Mr Winterberg discreetly and in particular document his behaviour towards Karolina. Secondly, a similarly violent approach by the target towards the detective would have reinforced the evidential situation.

Mr and Mrs Kronen agreed to the investigation and even personally commissioned our Dortmund detective agency, as Karolina foresaw difficulties in paying the detective’s fee. Our experienced investigators then began the preliminary enquiries and, together with Karolina and Mr and Mrs Kronen, drew up an operational plan.

Harassment Of Our Female Detective From Dortmund

Our detective – let us call her Diana for simplicity – agreed with those involved on a daily deployment from 13:00, as from that time onwards the assistants gradually left the butchery and Mr Winterberg could consider himself unobserved in his conduct. On the very first day of the operation, when Diana was introduced to the entire staff in the sales area and in the butchery, she noticed Mr Winterberg staring at her and seemingly assessing her figure. Evidently, our investigator fitted his “preferred pattern”.

The following day, Diana remained in the sales area while Karolina was cleaning in the butchery. At approximately 15:30, Mr Winterberg entered the sales area and stated that he had forgotten his mobile phone in his locker and wished to retrieve it. As he passed Diana, he brushed against her bottom – entirely unintentionally, as he claimed. During his apology, he smiled at the Dortmund detective in a manner that clearly belied his words. When he returned holding his mobile phone, he engaged our investigator in conversation, repeatedly attempting to come physically closer to her.

Caught In The Act Twice | Documentation And Evidence

The very next day, Mr Winterberg again repeatedly sought Diana’s proximity. When only Karolina, Mr Winterberg and our Dortmund detective remained on the premises, the sexual offender apparently could no longer control his impulses: he intercepted the detective as she was entering the cold store to fetch sausage products for sale, blocked her path, held her fast, embraced her and attempted to reach under her skirt. Diana raised her leg and struck the target in the groin with her knee, whereupon the former convict released her. He returned to the butchery, where Karolina was engaged in tidying and cleaning work. As she bent down for the cleaning bucket, he lunged at her from behind and held her tightly pressed against him. Karolina was startled and dropped the bucket. She struggled, but he did not release her. Diana had heard the noise from the sales area and approached quietly. Using her small digital camera, she took photographs and short videos of the events in the butchery before entering the scene feigning ignorance and surprise. Mr Winterberg immediately distanced himself from Karolina and shortly afterwards left the premises.

The following day, our investigator remained at the operations centre of Kurtz Investigations Dortmund, evaluated the evidence and prepared a detailed and court-admissible report on the incidents. With this evidence, Karolina was able to file a complaint against Mr Winterberg; Mr Kronen dismissed him without notice.

Note

In order to safeguard discretion and the personal rights of clients and target persons, all names and locations in this case report have been altered beyond recognition.