National Museum staff member who admitted fantasising after seeing "tall schoolgirls"

#1 · 16-02-2017 04:08AM #1

The not so ideal member of staff you want in a state run Museum...

A member of staff at the National Museum who sexually harassed a colleague has been allowed to keep his job despite concerns about his behaviour towards female staff.

An investigation commissioned by the museum concluded the man kissed a woman and touched her buttocks on a number of occasions in the workplace.

During the course of the investigation the man admitted he had "problems with inappropriate use of the internet" and had developed "an obsession with tall women".

He also admitted fantasising after seeing "tall schoolgirls" in the museum café one day.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/man-keeps-job-at-museum-despite-sexually-harassing-colleague-35455704.html

Arcade_Tryer · 16-02-2017 04:14AM

National Museum staff member who admitted fantasising after seeing "tall schoolgirls"

That's fine.

An investigation commissioned by the museum concluded the man kissed a woman and touched her buttocks on a number of occasions in the workplace.

That's probably not fine.

Atlantic Dawn · 16-02-2017 04:15AM

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

That's fine.

That's probably not fine.

I'd say the union says Yes so to speak.

Canis Lupus · 16-02-2017 04:16AM

Bit of a weird one alright.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 16-02-2017 04:16AM

Curious to know why he admitted fantasizing about schoolgirls in the first place. The sexual touching, though - unless it was consentual - should be enough for a dismissal at least, i would have right.

Atlantic Dawn · 16-02-2017 04:17AM

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Curious to know why he admitted fantasizing about schoolgirls in the first place. The sexual touching, though, should be enough for a dismissal in the first place.

His union would have more power than common sense, they could close every musuem in the country over a sacking of him.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 16-02-2017 04:21AM

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

His union would have more power than common sense.

Oh come on! This isnt a case of ineptitude, this is full on creepy behavior. Or are you just having a quick dig at unions in general? (I notice you've mentioned them twice, now... )

Atlantic Dawn · 16-02-2017 04:24AM

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Oh come on! This isnt a case of ineptitude, this is full on creepy behavior. Or are you just having a quick dig at unions in general? (I notice you've mentioned them twice, now... )

Whoy else would a person so clearly out and out fooked up be still employed in normal land with no union backing behind them?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 16-02-2017 04:25AM

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Whoy else would a person so clearly out and out fooked up be still employed in normal land?

So yes... cheap dig at unions, then.

Atlantic Dawn · 16-02-2017 04:28AM

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

So yes... cheap dig at unions, then.

When you can confirm they are not in a union get back to me.

Realt Dearg Sec · 16-02-2017 04:29AM

*Opens thread that doesn't look like yet another pointless lefty bashing thread.*

*Sees pointless lefty bashing*

*Closes thread*

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 16-02-2017 04:31AM

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

When you can confirm they are not in a union get back to me.

Eh... that's not the way debate works. YOUR theory. YOU brought it up. And until YOU confirm it, it looks when more bogus. I dont know what goes on inside your head.

Good night.

Arghus · 16-02-2017 04:50AM

Let me grab my flaming pitchfork.

Peregrinus · 16-02-2017 05:05AM

Atlantic Dawn clearly hasn't read (or possibly has read but hasn't understood) the report in the Independent.

The woman complained and the museum conducted an internal investigation, but did not institute disciplinary proceedings. While it moved the man involved to other duties, it did not tell him the reason why he was being moved.

In other words, it doesn't appear that the museum's handling of this matter ever reached the level of formality in which the man would have been represented or advised by a union. Plus, he was never at risk of dismissal because no disciplinary proceedings were ever instituted. The notion that he kept his job due to advocacy by the union seems to be a complete invention of Atlantic Dawn's.

(If he had been dismissed, I think he would possibly have succeeded in an unfair dismissal suit - not because his actions couldn't have justified dismissal (as reported, they certainly could) but because the employer hadn't followed proper investigative and disciplinary processes.)

gctest50 · 16-02-2017 05:12AM

Typical these days, they'll just wait till Joseph Fritzl jr. there kidnaps some tall kid cos he wants to prolong his fantasties :

The man told investigators he had developed an obsession with tall women and when he saw some tall schoolgirls in the museum one day he wanted to "prolong the fantasy"

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/man-keeps-job-at-museum-despite-sexually-harassing-colleague-35455704.html

Mena Mitty · 16-02-2017 05:21AM

Any 'naturally touchy feely' fkr's I've met in life I've always greeted with a kick in the blx or a nice bite. No person man or woman should have to put up with this sh*t.

Your Face · 16-02-2017 08:05AM

They moved him instead of properly dealing with him.
Ive read that in some report before...

16-02-2017 08:09AM

You can imagine the fantasies...unclipping the Tara Brooch, her cloak slipped from her body...she poured the Ardagh Chalice of mead onto her thighs...

CIARAN_BOYLE · 16-02-2017 08:11AM

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Curious to know why he admitted fantasizing about schoolgirls in the first place. The sexual touching, though - unless it was consentual - should be enough for a dismissal at least, i would have right.

Maybe the inappropriate Internet usage involved googling sexy tall schoolgirls or something that his workstation

currants · 16-02-2017 10:00AM

Typically the woman's contract wasn't renewed but he was left, undisciplined and unchallenged, to perve away on schoolgirls. If you're on a contract there's really no point in making a complaint against a permanent staff member. You'd be better off dealing with it as Mena said, either that or carry a rape alarm and set it off if you are assaulted.
The report said she was encouraged by a senior member of staff to make a formal complaint so at least somebody wanted him disciplined. I really don't think a union is to blame here, he was probably being protected by management or, more usually, was the type to be straight onto his solicitor if anyone said boo to him. If I was that woman I'd be dialling my solicitor now, that report would be a goldmine in court. There is a terrible management culture there judging by the volume of bullying complaints and the fact that gross misconduct went unpunished. A clear out at the top and a change of the HR guard would sort it out, of course that's not going to happen.

re_shaft · 16-02-2017 10:25AM

The woman did not make a criminal complaint and has not pursued civil proceedings against the museum.

She should take them to the cleaners.

A boycott of the museum might make these jokers in charge sit up and take notice.

16-02-2017 12:22PM

currants wrote: »

I really don't think a union is to blame here, he was probably being protected by management

Exactly.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/report-national-museum-staff-at-risk-of-depression-because-of-bullies-and-perverts-776383.html

An unpublished report reveals that staff in the National Museum of Ireland have complained of "bullies" and "perverts". The findings are contained in 'The Work Positive Profile Management Report', which was completed last November, and details claims by employees that "excessive drinking, bullies and perverts" are endangering their welfare.

The report also explains that the concerns of a psycotherapist around workplace bullying at the institution were ignored.

The results found:
More than 40% of employees at the institutions are deemed to be at risk of developing anxiety or depression; as measured by an index supplied by the World Health Organisation.

One in five employees at the institution are "often" or "always" subjected to bullying.

20% are "sometimes" the victims of bullying, while one employee complained of having to deal with "bullies and perverts".

Almost 70% of respondents feel employee morale is poor to very poor- with poor communication and a lack of trust at the Museum.

Seven in 10 employees want mental health support to help deal with stress and depression.

Staff contentedness at NMI is in the bottom 20% of Irish companies.

That place is messed up and the dead fish stinks from the head.

tritium · 16-02-2017 01:00PM

re_shaft wrote: »

She should take them to the cleaners.

A boycott of the museum might make these jokers in charge sit up and take notice.

At the moment all we have is some details from an internal investigation of unknown quality or scope. In the absence of knowing all the relevant details including the process followed and full sequence of events we have no idea as to whether there is any liability

whisky_galore · 16-02-2017 01:54PM

re_shaft wrote: »

A boycott of the museum might make these jokers in charge sit up and take notice.

The museum is free, not sure how useful a boycott would be...unless you stay out of the gift shop??

re_shaft · 16-02-2017 01:58PM

whisky_galore wrote: »

The museum is free, not sure how useful a boycott would be...unless you stay out of the gift shop??

Fair point, I was hoping that it being empty would do the trick. Perhaps some protestors outside with placards saying "This museum supports sexism and bullying" etc.

16-02-2017 04:28PM

Hard to believe that a person who openly admitted to fantasizing about schoolchildren on the premises is allowed to stay in a job where school tours make up a great deal of weekday business, without censure or even proper investigation. It's like nothing was learned from the past, at all.

At the very least, his harassment of a female co worker should have resulted in an official warning and noting on his record.

There should be a very transparent investigation into the work culture in that place in light of this, and the incident(s) investigated thoroughly for not only the benefit of the harassed person, but possibly the person who admitted it also.

Stigura · 16-02-2017 04:50PM

Seven in 10 employees want mental health support to help deal with stress and depression.

Jesus f**king wept!!! :eek: I'll bet ye wouldn't find anything like that level amongst prison inmates!

16-02-2017 05:06PM

Candie wrote: »

There should be a very transparent investigation into the work culture in that place in light of this, and the incident(s) investigated thoroughly for not only the benefit of the harassed person, but possibly the person who admitted it also.

I tend to agree:

During the course of the investigation the man admitted he had "problems with inappropriate use of the internet" and had developed "an obsession with tall women".

He also admitted fantasising after seeing "tall schoolgirls" in the museum café one day.

The man denied knowingly sexually harassing his work colleague, claiming if he had realised his behaviour was inappropriate, he would have stopped.
But this was rejected by an investigation team.

However, he admitted his work colleague had been "a foil for his fantasies".

The man said he had been guilty of "unhealthy thoughts" while working with the woman and that his behaviour at times had been "out of order".

Whatever about having these thoughts (and not acting on them), talking about them candidly to an investigative team is very strange.

Arcade_Tryer · 16-02-2017 05:08PM

Candie wrote: »

Hard to believe that a person who openly admitted to fantasizing about schoolchildren on the premises is allowed to stay in a job where school tours make up a great deal of weekday business, without censure or even proper investigation. It's like nothing was learned from the past, at all.

There is no law against fantasising about tall schoolgirls. We haven't entered the realm of thought crime quite yet in Western society thankfully.

Arcade_Tryer · 16-02-2017 05:10PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I tend to agree:

Whatever about having these thoughts (and not acting on them), talking about them candidly to an investigative team is very strange.

Or incredibly honest.

Or maybe simply an indicator of a lack of social awareness.

ClovenHoof · 16-02-2017 05:11PM

Reminds me of a Carry On movie.

"Ooooh I say, I wouldn't mind overseeing a dig in her trench!"

National Museum staff member who admitted fantasising after seeing "tall schoolgirls"

Comments