Put on a PIP After Setting Boundaries with My Manager Who Has Been Sexually Harassing Me

Location: Malaysia

Hi Reddit,
I’m based in Malaysia and honestly need some thoughts, support, or advice — because I’m reaching a breaking point.

Since joining this company, my manager has made me feel uncomfortable from day one. He’s sent me lewd Instagram reels (I never even followed him), made disgusting sexual comments, and has generally crossed professional boundaries. One example that still makes my skin crawl: he kept pacing back and forth behind my desk, which got really annoying, so I politely told him to stop. He laughed and said something along the lines of, “You know how guys are, all we do is go in and out, in and out.”
Yes. He actually made a sex joke out of that. In the workplace. I was mortified.

Since that day, I’ve stopped engaging with him outside of work-related matters. I avoided small talk, stayed professional, and kept my distance. And guess what? A few weeks later, he sat me down and told me I’m being put on a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan). I recorded the conversation — and the first thing he said in the recording was:

“I’m not going to beat around the bush or assume you’re on your period or something…”

I can’t even explain how degrading and inappropriate that felt. Why would a male manager say something like that? Why is it okay for a man in power to reduce my professionalism to hormonal behavior?

Here’s the kicker: people know about his behavior. HR knows. The CEO knows. He’s been like this for years. And yet… he’s still here. Still protected. Still making people feel unsafe. Meanwhile, I’m the one being penalized for setting boundaries and refusing to entertain his inappropriate behavior.

I truly believe this PIP is retaliatory — it only came after I pulled away from engaging with him on a personal level. There were no prior warnings. My work has been fine. But I feel like they’re building a paper trail to justify firing me “legally.”

Has anyone here been through something like this, especially in Malaysia? Would it be worth going to HR even though I don’t trust them? Should I consult a lawyer? I’m scared, stressed, and feel really alone in this.

Thanks for reading, and I appreciate any advice or encouragement