Equal Protection in the Workplace & Professionally

Some professions are more vulnerable, given their role-requirements for expressing more empathy. This may include mental health staff, medical professionals, service workers, and lawyers, who regularly display "professional civility."

A study from 1996 found that 5.6% of employees at mental health centers were stalked by clients. In 2002, 10% of psychologists had been stalked by clients (Sheridan, et al., 2019).

Logan, et al. (2007) found that employed stalking victims experience twice as many stalking incidents and were pursued three times longer. 

Secondly, research has focused on the ways in which the stalker sabotages the victim’s work (Banyard, et al, 2011). This impacted women in three ways: on-the-job harassments, work disruptions, and job productivity problems (Logan, et al, 2007). Thus, women are left with barriers to employment, such as being scared out of seeking a job, being barred from working because of ruined reputations, and gaps in work history hindering future employment (Logan, et al. 2007).  Thirdly, the research focuses on women's ability to be effective employees. Finally, findings included negative associations between physical abuse and employment outcomes (Banyard, et al. 2011). Findings reveal that DV stalking victims reported they had more difficulty keeping a job than IPV victims who were not stalked, and women victims were more likely to have lost more days of employment (Logan, et al, 2007).  

Piotrowski’s (2012) research of 21st century stalking crimes, known as “cyberstalking,” suggests there are more dangers than previously anticipated. It is important to identify these issues, as they can be independent or interwoven in the overall context of other stalking crimes. Organizations must be aware of these problems and have up-to-date policies addressing them.  

Threat management teams are recommended that would develop and deliver training on topics such as: conflict management, stress management, First Aid, CPR, crisis intervention, how to recognize troubled employees, staff safety, harassment, and other necessary skills (Maggio, 1996; Schell, 2003).  Stalkers should be prevented from contacting the victim at their place of employment through the PPOs.  This could also help curtail some of the 25-35% of workplace violence incidents that erupt. However, according to Schell (2003), in order to more effectively reduce these offences, policies within organizations need to be developed and training implemented in a proactive rather than reactive manner.