On March 9, 2021, 40-year old Evan Seyfried took his own life after workplace bullying and mobbing. He was a 20-year exemplary employee at Kroger, one of the largest grocers in the US. 

On March 9, 2022, advocates across the country will take to the streets demanding justice for Evan.

According to The Washington Post, in a "wrongful death" lawsuit, Evan's family alleges his death resulted from a six-month harassment campaign by two co-workers at the Milford, Ohio, location:

• A supervisor allegedly harassed him for wearing a face mask during COVID and made fun of him for his political beliefs, calling him "antifa." 
• Evan reported several unwanted sexual advances toward him, which resulted in no response from management after he reported them.
• The supervisor allegedly left holes in his department schedule, making extra work for him.
• After hearing reports from neighbors, Evan believed co-workers who his supervisors pitted against him followed him home and waited on the street...

Regardless of which side of the gun control debate we're on, we can agree on one thing: at the root of mass shootings is either mental illness, abuse, or both.

"[Attorney Jim] Lewis said Cruz was a loner and 'a little quirky,' and the family hosting him knew there had been some disciplinary problems and fights, but Cruz had never expressed any discontent toward his former teachers or classmates. 'He was a smaller kid and (there's) some indication there might have been some bullying going on....' the lawyer said."
— Eliott C. McLaughlin and Madison Park, CNN

Researchers have finally found that workplace bullies can drive their targets to suicide. In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Public Health revealed that targets of abuse at work are twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts than those who were never bullied. 

Researchers defined bullying as harassment, badgering, and freezing out that:

• Occurred repeatedly over a period of time.
• Involved two parties in which one had a higher ranking than the other.

It happens so often that there’s now a term for it. “Bullycide” happens when the cause of suicide is attributable to the victim having been bullied.

How workplace abuse can lead any of us to suicide (“bullycide”)

Researchers also tested to see if qualities of workplace bullying targets warranted uninvited psychological assaults. They found nothing: zero data to support reason to blame the victim. In other words, targets are not...

Abuse causes pain, and targets look to both positive and negative vices to offset it:

Negative vices

• Social isolation. Along with job control, social support is crucial for a healthy work environment. While mobbing creates social isolation, and abuse creates shame and depression that lead to isolation, human connection and validation can help targets of workplace abuse realize they aren't alone and they aren't the problem.
• Self-destruction. Drinking, overeating, and undereating are all destructive coping mechanisms for abuse.
• Abuse. Some targets use abuse to cope with abuse, taking their pain out on family and friends.

Positive vices
Human connection, exercise in moderation, spirituality, and focusing on activities that bring us joy and take us out of laser-focusing on the abuse can all help offset the pain and lead to recovery. Once the initial shock and stress wear off, targets tend to look more to positive vices to aid in healing.

Take Your Dignity Back
If you feel...

I work for a Massachusetts city in the capacity of a senior clerk and typist. I began my time with them completely and utterly oblivious that these types of workplaces existed.   

I began my time working for an amazing asst. superintendent who is no longer with the district. I began as an office clerk. In our office, there was an administrative assistant and two other administrators under the asst. superintendent. I came into the roles as a team player, hard worker, and willing to go the extra mile. I was there for six months and was looking for a move into a senior clerk and typist position within the district due to low wages of the office clerk position. The asst. superintendent saw my worth and kept me on in her office as a senior clerk. The administrative assistant was a senior clerk at one time — those positions are made for people who are politically connected in our city. Her husband was a city councilman.

So time...

I see you.

I feel your shame you pushed onto me because you didn’t want to feel it yourself. I feel the feelings of incompetence you deflect. I feel not good enough just like we both felt as kids.

We handle our shame differently. I wanted your approval because love was conditional growing up and tied to my behavior. For you, the constant shame must’ve been unbearable — so much so that you learned to make your shame other people’s shame. You put me down because you feel small. You teach others to see me as small to make the lie real. False accusations, sabotage, and verbal abuse are your tools.

When I accepted that humans could be capable of this behavior, I felt let down. So let down. I fought back for myself and everything I’d suffered.

But your story already won.

It won with those who feared they’d be next if they didn’t “yes” you again and again. It won with those who didn’t want to sift through right and wrong because...