I left the civil service after my niece took it upon herself to discuss her own perception of my private and family life with my manager when he contacted her. [This is despite us having had very little contact with each other over the years.] When I asked her for a statement after I had resigned she denied the whole thing, although she has admitted it to other people. If someone feels they have the right to involve themselves in such a situation, I believe at least they could apologise and try to rectify the harm done. At the time of asking her for the statement I explained that I had been bullied at work. She then appeared to see me as someone she too could bully.