Bullying, incivility, intimidation and other forms of disrespectful behavior have run rampant in the town of Rumford. It is allowed to exist while many remain silent, or make the excuse that’s just the way he or she is in an attempt to minimize the profound devastation that disrespectful behavior can cause.

Disrespectful behavior encompasses a broad array of conduct, from aggressive outbursts to subtle patterns of disruptive behavior so embedded in culture that they seem normal.

Disrespectful behavior causes the recipient to experience fear, vulnerability, anger, anxiety, humiliation, confusion, loss of job satisfaction, professional burnout, uncertainty, isolation, self-doubt, depression and a whole host of physical ailments such as insomnia, fatigue, nausea and hypertension.

Elizabeth Tidswell, Rumford