Sexual harassment and abuse in law enforcement: Best practices for creating safety for female officers

Abstract

Organizational culture, policies, and procedures can prevent or promote sexual violence. Lensed through a case study of one woman police officer and her abuse, this paper examines the organizational issues surrounding sexual harassment and abuse in law enforcement and the impact on officers' psychological well-being. We review issues surrounding workplace discrimination that pose hurdles to reporting. We present concrete guidelines for promoting gender equity, workplace safety, and accountability for reports of sexual abuse and misconduct in law enforcement. This paper is a call-to-action and resource to improve practices for managing sexual harassment and abuse to improve safety of female officers.