Abstract
Workplace bullying is a phenomenon that has been of global interest due to its recognition as a social problem, and its detrimental effect on individuals' health. Despite the blind status of workplace bullying, women have been reported to have a high prevalence of workplace bullying. It was thus important to conduct a study that solely focused on females in the mental health sector as less is known about this demographic. Due to the limited literature on women in the mental health sector, the study utilised an exploratory research design to understand and gain more insight into the participants' experiences of workplace bullying. Findings from the study were aimed at contributing more literature on women within the mental health sector and the effects of workplace bullying within the South African context. The study's findings indicate that females in the mental health sector perceive workplace bullying to be an assertion of power.Physical changes such as weight loss and fatigue, and emotional distress experienced as an effect of the bullying. Furthermore, the implementation of coping strategies such as tolerance, detachment, and help-seeking behavior were reported as being used to cope with the bullying experience.