My coworker was sexually assaulted by a customer at work and wants to take it forward . What are her options?
This happened recently at my workplace. A male customer sexually assaulted a female coworker while she was doing her job. I later saw evidence that confirms it clearly happened — her reaction in the moment made it obvious she was shaken, even though she tried to brush it off and carry on.
When she first told me she didn't want to report it. Said it happens here and that management never does anything about it, which just means the same people keep coming back. She'd basically given up on the process before even trying it.
She's since changed her mind and wants to take it forward. Word got around to other coworkers and a number of them have raised concerns about their own safety and that of people they care about who work here too. So it's gone from one incident to something that feels more like a wider problem.
A few things we're trying to work out:
Police vs workplace process — does she report to the police, go through HR, or both? Does one affect the other?
Employer liability — management has apparently been aware of this kind of thing happening before and not acted. Does that matter legally now that she's coming forward formally?
Preserving evidence — there is footage that clearly shows what happened. What should be done right now to make sure it doesn't disappear before a complaint is made?
Collective complaint — other coworkers may want to raise concerns together. Does that carry more weight and is there a proper way to do it?
Her protection — what protections does she have from retaliation once she formally complains? What should she be documenting before she does?
We do have HR. But given the track record here, she's not sure she trusts the internal process to actually do anything.
Any advice appreciated.