Thirty-two-year-old office worker Jeong Hye-eun starts her day at work by delivering coffee to her boss. Photocopying documents and getting cigarettes for her superior are also some of her daily tasks, although she was hired as a publicist, not a personal assistant.
She questions her daily errands and gets upset when thinking about how she is the only one in the office given such tasks while her male colleagues remain silent.
She must also endure sexual jokes made in front of her during lunch time. The recent sexual harassment case involving the former presidential spokesman is a popular topic of discussion among her colleagues. But their conversation invokes humiliation for Jeong as they often blame the woman for causing the incident, saying her choice of a short skirt and high heels must have provoked the man’s desire.
She is most vulnerable when her boss hosts the monthly company dinner.
Whenever the boss gets drunk, he demands her to pour drinks and makes unnecessary physical contact like rubbing her back and touching her hands.
All she can do is slip her hands away and keep her distance from him throughout the evening. Jeong has thought about raising the issue of her boss’ inappropriate behavior, but hasn’t because she has no support from her colleagues.
“I’d talk about it if I decide to quit. But right now, I don’t want to lose my job,” she says.
On the way back home, it’s no easier. Whenever Jeong gets into a taxi, she calls home to let her family know that she is in a cab, a precaution public campaigns have said could help prevent women from falling victim to sexual assault.
A day filled with constant anxiety is not by choice, as nobody else can guarantee her safety if she lets her guard down.
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
