I've been following this story and thread ever since it first was mentioned on Doireann's thread. All the stories on here of women who have had horrendous experiences saddened me so much. Mainly how we blame ourselves or just accept that that is how it is. I easily recall three scenarios work related that were just not right. But I always said to myself it was my fault. But it ain't!!
1. I was at a work retreat where folks from lots of other branches were at it. There was a big junior (there to learn) vs senior (delivering the workshops, mentors, had power) divide. A good few of us ended up in the hot tub one night near the end. Probably two male senior and six female junior. One senior was the dad of one of the juniors so he was on best behaviour. The other senior, and I don't remember how this happened, started playing some game where suddenly his old sliver thin lips were coming towards me. I have no idea why or what. But my thoughts ever since were "what did I expect getting into a hot tub at 11pm with these old guys".
2. Work night out. Just me and one other colleague (Spanish, engaged) were last two standing. In pub starts grabbing my arse and pointing to this weird engagement ring that his GF made him wear and said "tonight this means nothing". I ran off and never spoke to him again at work. He was an excellent with a technical skill that I needed help with but could never ask. I believe my career suffered because I never got that help.
3. Foreign work trip, booze flowing (theme) on desserted hotel balcony with my female colleague and and a man from another site we had just met. He lunged at me for a kiss the minute my female colleague went to toilet. I said no, I have a boyfriend. He said "i didn't realise." Then I set about apologising for not mentioning my boyfriend before!!! My colleague and I flew straight to her room and I cried for hours as I felt I had betrayed my BF somehow and that maybe I gave the man the wrong idea. I was deva.
But now, looking back...none of these were my fault!!
Phew...all of these have remained in my head for a good few yrs x
). Research into post-concussion syndrome has shown links between it and early onset dementia. I used to be a nurse in neurology and some scans from ex-players look like those from a car crash. Players give up when the knees start creaking but don’t even think about what’s going on in their head. I remember going to underage matches and kids getting knocks to the head but remaining on the pitch, managers leaving it up to children to take themselves off. It’s 20-30 years down the line that they really start to suffer. Education is key to making contact sport safe, headgear should be a must.
I'm turning off
