My daughter returned from work today and told me an incident that happened with a customer.
While serving some older person at the chemist she asked if he’d like a bag. The man nodded ‘yes’ and simultaneously exclaimed a rude swear word to her in Greek. (Not knowing that she understands some Greek eventhough she can’t speak, read or write).
When she told him that’s not very nice, he got offended and startled that she understood Greek, left the shop angrily. Later on he returned to the shop and demanded a refund while returning his items and carried on about respect and that a young girl shouldn’t answer back to a man, especially an older man. (The demand and expectation of respect solely on the basis of being a man and/or old is customary in Greek culture as in many other patriarchal cultures).
My daughter had an anxiety attack and almost collapsed as she suffers from panic, anxiety and depression.
The other staff and her manager fully supported her and reassured her she’s done the right thing to not let this man talk to her in such a manner and using profanities. The customers watching were on her side too. The man was asked to leave the shop and told he is no longer welcomed to shop there as language as such (swearing) is not tolerated even if it wasn’t expressed in English!
My daughter wanted to know if this is a customary thing in Greece: older men to demand respect and treat younger girls like rubbish. I told her that it is very common but despite this, she’s done the right thing to pick on it and nail it. If profanities and rude put downs are not accepted in the shop by English-speaking customers, they shouldn’t be tolerated in other languages also. The same principle applies universally.
I asked her to find out from her manager what is the policy in regards to other languages and if she was meant to ignore the remark or pick on it like she did. Also, I told her to ask her Russian, Polish, Ethiopian, Chinese, Spanish and Turkish colleagues how do they deal with a situation like this.
What would you have done if you suffered from mental illness, distress, anxiety, depression, panic attacks and you were faced with a situation like this? Is it better to talk and stand up for what’s right or better to remain silent and pretend you don’t understand the language?
Is it any different to someone swearing at you and putting you down in English? Does the fact that the man didn’t know that she can understand him make a difference? What’s your thoughts?
