# The violence within

> Our mainstream work culture cultivates systemic violence: bullying, constant competition, sexism, etc. You name it. What if talking about could empower and protect us?

Published on 2019-10-12 by Rémi Mercier.
Original: https://remimercier.com/the-violence-within/

For the past 15 years, I've had multiple encounters with the systemic violence baked in our mainstream work culture: bullying, constant competition, harassment, mocking, productivism, racism, sexism, sticks and carrots, etc. You name it.

I've spent hours talking about these heart-breaking situations with friends, lawyers, psychologists and work inspectors. All have been witnessing a shitstorm that is destroying people from all horizons.

All companies indulge in it: big corporations, public services, NGOs, etc. It's everywhere, even (especially!) in those over-hyped companies called startups.

Look around you for a moment. One out of three women is sexually harassed in the workplace [^1]. One out of two men is bullied by a supervisor [^2]. The person you're looking at right now is likely molested as we speak.

I don't know if you've been there (yet), but I have. And I refuse to feel guilty about it. I refuse to wear those traumas as a shame mark.

I fell prey to [the lies our work culture tells us](https://dev.to/ronsoak/the-lies-and-lack-of-self-respect-that-lead-to-burnout-5007). And our work culture has seared its own culture of silence into our collective conscience. For a long time, I felt isolated. But no more.

<blockquote>Only sitting in a circle of women, listening to similar stories, allowed her to realize that she wasn't alone, it wasn't her fault, she could speak up. <cite>Gloria Steinem, My Life On The Road</cite></blockquote>

No matter the gender you're relating to, sitting and sharing similar stories with others can be the first step to saying "No!" to this violence. This is why I want people to speak up and talk to each other. This is why I talk about it so that people will take courage from it.

Silence is playing our violent working culture's game. Silence is accepting your disappearance, literally and symbolically. Silence is dying.

<mark>Talking is bonding with others. Talking is organizing and exploring new paths. Talking is living.</mark>

You're not alone. Help and kindness are sometimes found when most needed. Find your circle, listen, and maybe, talk.

Rémi

Want to talk? [Ping me on Twitter](https://twitter.com/mercier_remi). Noticed something? [Create an issue on GitHub](https://github.com/merciremi/remicodes/issues/new).

[^1]: Official studies assume that most harassment are not reported for fear of retributions. For official data (in French): [https://www.egalite-femmes-hommes.gouv.fr/dossiers/egalite-professionnelle/lutte-contre-le-harcelement-sexuel-au-travail/les-chiffres-cles-du-harcelement-sexuel-au-travail/](https://www.egalite-femmes-hommes.gouv.fr/dossiers/egalite-professionnelle/lutte-contre-le-harcelement-sexuel-au-travail/les-chiffres-cles-du-harcelement-sexuel-au-travail/)
[^2]: See Canada's official data: [https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2018001/article/54982-eng.htm](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2018001/article/54982-eng.htm)