Am I entitled to compensation for psychological harassment?

What is psychological bullying?

„"Harassment" is any unwanted behavior (expressed physically, verbally or otherwise) that has the purpose or result of violating the dignity of the person and creating a hostile, degrading, humiliating, offensive or intimidating environment.

Psychological violence, also called psychological bullying, is a form of violence in which a person an individual, through the way he treats another person, is directly or indirectly responsible for the person falling into a state of psychological trauma.

Types of psychological abuse may include:

• verbal aggression,
• humiliation,
• neglect
• or any other unhealthy behavior that can reduce the victim of emotional abuse's self-esteem, dignity, and clear thinking, as well as affect their self-respect and self-worth.

The abuser's behavior can be expressed in both words and gestures towards the victim.

Psychological bullying takes various forms and can be observed in different environments - at school, on the street, at work, and even at home.

How should I react to domestic violence against children?

For example, psychological harassment can be qualified as domestic violence when the acts are committed by and against persons who are in a kinship, family relationship or in a de facto marital relationship.

It constitutes a crime and the perpetrator may be subject to criminal liability, even imprisonment. In some cases, the psychological harassment carried out may qualify as another type of crime, when it is expressed in gross insult, coercion, sexual harassment, and others.

In other cases, psychological harassment is practiced through discrimination, when the person is the victim of unequal treatment based on certain characteristics, namely gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, marital status, and others.

The victim may also be subjected to psychological harassment by their employer, as well as by their colleagues. In this case, the harm suffered by the person is usually more intense because the economic factor and the dependence on the workplace discourage the victim from using any of their legal means of protection.

How can you protect yourself? 

Depending on the specific case of psychological harassment, the person seeking protection may turn to various institutions - court, police and other state institutions charged with law enforcement activities. It is important to note, however, that claiming compensation for material and non-material damages suffered as a result of psychological harassment can only be done through a court order.

In the event of an injury, compensation is available for all damages that are a direct and immediate consequence of it. Damages can be both pecuniary and non-pecuniary, and in general, damages are non-pecuniary, i.e. pain, suffering, worries, anxieties, illnesses, etc. experienced by the victim.

Since this type of damage cannot be quantified, according to the law, the court determines the compensation for non-pecuniary damage in an equitable manner. However, in order for the judge to assess what happened in the most objective way, he must be presented with as much information as possible.

How to prove psychological harassment?

To obtain any protection, including compensation, the person who has actually been subjected to psychological harassment must prove it. Threatening letters, emails, correspondence via social networks – all of this would be useful so that it could be used as evidence when necessary.

A psychiatrist can certify the victim's current mental state and describe his findings in a document that can later serve as evidence. Having an official document issued by a doctor always adds credibility to the victim's story.

Finding witnesses to confirm the psychological abuse that occurred would also have a positive impact. A neighbor, a colleague, or even children - when a third party confirms the victim's allegations, her chances of receiving compensation for what happened increase.

In conclusion

As difficult as it may be for a victim of psychological harassment to admit this and take action, they should know that the law provides various options for their protection, including awarding compensation from the court.  

For psychological abuse in the family, the guilty person may receive up to 5 years in prison.