How could HR help me manage a hostile work environment? [WA]
Just typing this situation out makes me so tired. I'm the only woman on my crew.
My current job is one of the most challenging social dynamics I've ever worked in: negative, mean-spirited and unclear expectations. We also work rotating shifts so 2x12 hour days followed by 2x12 hour nights. It sucks.
I was an internal hire and decided to move to operators for better career opportunities and more money. I've been there about a year. In the first two months of my employment, a coworker made a rape "joke" and I spoke up about it. I tried to bring it up with the crew but got dismissed. It still bothered me and I spoke to two people I was friendly with who told others. Word got back to him that I had broken trust and he immediately started the silent treatment and refused multiple times to train me. I've attempted an apology with the offer of listening and bought him a cake I know he likes. Nothing has changed.
We have a new supervisor who was not here for the rape joke and has seen the tension. He changed our rotations so I'm not alone with him which I appreciated but the crew has essentially sided with him. They feel I hurt his reputation. They're all friends outside of work and I'm effectively ostracized. The training I get is slim to none and the feeling of being "tolerated" is wearing me down. We had a special project this past week and my supervisor was out. The lead put us to work together. He ignored my request to follow him/get trained and offered me no help or support even though I had never done it before. I ended up crying in front of the men we did shift changeover with because I'm just so frustrated.
I've been told the culture of my work is if you go to HR, you will be blacklisted and your reputation ruined. I've been there a year so I at least have that for my resume. The crew and my supervisor can all pretty clearly see I'm miserable and I've asked to be moved to a different crew twice. Both times it was dismissed as something we needed to work out or give it time. That was 5 months ago. I want to go to HR to ask to be moved but I'm scared. I work for the government, not private sector. Do you have any advice? I'm still excited to work in this field, just not with these particular men.
Thanks :)