I started to work for a political group in May 2016.

I had heard from my colleagues that one particular MEP from the same group liked to invite new advisors to office dinners in Strasbourg, so when he invited me I did not think much about it and obliged.

When I arrived, I realised it was not an office dinner at all, but rather an intimate dinner for two in a very classy restaurant. I sat down hoping that his assistants would join at some point.
They did not.

As the dinner progressed, I felt more and more ill-at-ease. At the end of dinner, he started to compliment me in different ways, and at one point said; “It is incredible that such a beautiful woman like you decided to have this type of work”, “I am sure you have many suitors”.

Then he asked if I wanted to go to the bar “Les aviateurs”. I refused and he proceeded to insist that he takes me back home. Nothing happened in the end, but I was scared.

Following this, he started to send messages. They were always vaguely work-related, but always random and sent outside office hours. His behaviour with me became so weird that my colleagues turned it all into a bit of a joke by teasing that “he likes you”.

I just wish he didn’t.