NCJ Number
191958
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 28 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2001 Pages: 128,130,132,134
Date Published
October 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes sexual harassment in law enforcement, its consequences, and how law enforcement agencies should address it.
Abstract
The media have given considerable attention to sexual harassment in the workplace, but little has been written in the media or by academics about sexual harassment in law enforcement. Male officers initiate the vast majority of harassing behavior, in part because law enforcement is still an occupation where men do not want some women working with them. The most common offenses are jokes, comments, cartoons, calendars, and verbal harassment. Less common are stalking and rape of women officers by their male counterparts. If a woman files a report about the harassment, she frequently is ostracized by her fellow officers, who may refuse to speak to her or refuse to cover her when she calls for help. To overcome the code of silence, meaningful policies must be in place to compel officers to report and provide information to internal affairs investigators. Law enforcement agencies should also have in place policies designating prohibited behaviors. Supervisors must make it known that sexually harassing behavior will not be tolerated.