Abuse of power in public administrations, a biographical, maybe sociological perspective

There is a liberating power in letting things out and being able to share experiences. Maybe it's a reach for help, or suggestions, maybe it's simply a fundamental basic human need, not to feel alone.

Unfortunately, there is also a legislation that prevents people from speaking openly and freely. Even more so, if what one says is true. Look at what happened to Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, Julian Assange. I am surprised that Steemit requires a cellular phone number to register, together with the email address. This means one will always be traced down, just in case. This is one of the reasons I cannot be specific in what I am about to say. Sorry about that.

All the facts happened in one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Unfortunately, like many places of outstanding beauty, there is also a concentration of capitals and especially an accumulation of powers, in all its forms. Whenever pivotal figures in all of society are chosen by politics, then political groups, not only have a mandate to create legislation, they also control all public services.
Ideologically, I believe this to be really corrupted in principle. Unfortunately this is what happens where I live, which is a country of the "first world" and member of the "highest", most "democratic" institutions.

When I was asked to conduct a research on the economic feasibility of a basic income initiative, I started collecting data, after speaking with the institutes for national statistics and the institute for social care. The more I reasoned on it, the more it appeared evident that what was promised as a socio-economic manoeuvre, was an surrealistic ideology, not backed up by real facts, given the financial constrain the society has accepted. I presented the findings and offered alternative solutions.

I was offended, humiliated in every way. First by "the boss", then by his loyal supporters. They wanted to prove I was an unfit person, so they would prepare documents with hidden mistakes to make me fall. It was a loose-loose situation for me, because if I spotted the mistakes, that would take time and I'd be very slow, if I didn't read carefully the texts to be fast, then I'd be at fault for not providing a quality check. They would ask me last second works to do, that required longer research to be approved.

They bullied me into signing my resignation while meanwhile, they were treating me badly, saying I was worthless in front of my colleagues. They also said I was a monster and that they walked on a piece of shit with me. They changed my work schedule while I was sick, without any formal communication. They initiated disciplinary proceedings without telling me anything while this was happening and for reasons they made up. When I explained everything to the HR, they couldn't care less. They also suggested I resigned, for my own sake, job opportunities and health. All those were public officials of high rank.

After this situation unfolded for one and a half years, eventually I was betrayed by the only person who seemed to at least "use" me in a proficient way, because she needed me for her own work and "survival". Once she found another person who could substitute me, she also found an excuse to let me go. I couldn't bear her betrayal and humiliation. At that point I did resign, but after I was legally threatened, being alone and not knowing what to do, I went to speak with the highest ranking prosecutor of the area and shared some facts. He patted me on the shoulder and told me "you'll learn for next time".

I was deeply dishearten and cried in the bathrooms of that institution. I took responsibility and thought that perhaps he had a superficial attitude because he didn't have evidences of what I was saying. So I shared some of the proofs I had, even recordings, with the offer of providing more. I simply couldn't send large files by email. I knew that given his role, he was obliged by law to do something about it. Months passed and the very few people I spoke with, told me to have faith or give up thinking about it. Mine wasn't a choice, I was simply blocked. I'd spend hours on the couch, questioning myself, afraid, immobilised by everything that I had lived. Meanwhile, I had clear sign of post traumatic disorders as images of the situations that happened at work, appeared at night time and as first thoughts in the morning. Every day. This continued for more than a year after the events. After seven months a friend of mine told me, "if you don't actively care about it, none will", "go and check out what happened to the emails you sent", "I will come with you".

So we went. We found out the person I saw three times, retired. We asked to speak with a substitute, but everyone was on holiday. We were asked to return. We spoke with another pivotal figure of that institution. We looked for the emails and the file which couldn't be found. This new person I spoke with, with my friend as a testimony this time, invited us to another office, as a proof that they couldn't find what I was talking about. The secretary said "of I recognise you" and extracted a folder from a drawer, saying "but this is nothing, there are no names". That was false. There were names and facts. The first person I spoke with, the one who retired, also wrote down, with a pen, by himself, two names, in my very first meeting.
When we left, my friend said the secretary looked at me in a harsh, disgusted way. Now, the folder, after seven months, was sent to the appropriate office for an investigation. However, because of the huge delay, a lot of damages were caused, both in terms of availability of proofs and legal actions that no longer where prosecutable due to time constrains.

After another few months, I was called to provide a couple of statements. Meanwhile, one of my Telegram chats, the one I had with the "former boss" had been 90% deleted, not by me. Even this doesn't seem to interest anyone. Another year passed. I have not been able to have faith in anything or being able to look forward to a future, given that this is the society I live in. My family hasn't been supportive. They don't like to hear what happened as it spoils their days and generally speaking, it is a given in their experience, that many people in the public administration do not operate according to civil rules, an euphemism to say that there is a lot of corruption.

Nothing has happened and I am not told anything, despite me sending registered mails in which I ask to be updated on the case. I am left with a sense of void and hopelessness, while everyone else seems to cheer and believe in the next illusions.