WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION

Research on multiple occupations found that there are very negative outomes of gender-related discrimination and prejudice which includes health (i.e. post-traumatic stress disorder) and productivity of female employees (Lonsway, 2006).

In "The Effect of Rank on Police Women Coping With Discrimination and Harassment", Robin Haarr and Merry Morash asserted that, women, especially police women, experience high rates of coworker and supervisor prejudices, stereotyping, discrimination, and harassment; in which most women tend to just ignore it which can become a major issue in the long run (i.e. their health and productivity) (2013). However, many women use coping strategies to deal with these issues (Haar & Morash, 2013, p.395).

These strategies included:

(1) Straight talk-- directly voicing their opinion and standing up to their male co-workers; and when confronted with hostility, even "giving it right back to them". (85.7% or 18 used this strategy)

(2) Hard work and Good work to Prove Abilities to Do the Job-- involved the same percentage of women who do "straight talk"; in which they at some point or multiple points, worked hard to prove they could do police work when others questioned their capability.

(3) Putting Up with The Stressful Environment-- about 2/3 of women told of times when they dealt with hostile or negative conditions by just "putting up with it".

(4) Mentors-- about half of the women used mentor assistance in addressing negative situations and department or academy environments.

WHAT?

HOW? (How Do Women Handle This Issue on a Day to Day Basis?)

Workplace discrimination happens everywhere and everyday. Men have always been disproportionately represented in many institutions which includes law and policing; and although women have made great strides in increasing their representations in many other institutions such as education and the economy, we still see this ‘glass ceiling’ affect (barrier to advancement in a profession, especially affecting women and members of minorities) within the police department. In which research has found that police departments have an issue with “hiring, retaining, and promoting female officers” (Shelley, et al. 2011, p.351). However; the main issue is with retaining women which is due to the fact that these agencies work hard to recruit women but lack motivation to make changes to the existing policies, practices, and attitudes of their department (Lonsway, 2006). This becomes problematic because once into the police force women still have to deal with harassment and discrimination which in turn leads many of these women to quit.

WHEN & WHERE?

Workplace discrimination is defined as any workplace action such as hiring, firing, demoting, and/or promoting based on a prejudice of some kind that results in the unfair treatment of employees. This page will explore discrimination upon women and its affects.

Prepared By: Kourtnie Trice, 2015

Interesting Fact:

In 2000 and 2001, the representation of women in large law enforcement agencies declined, dropping from 14.3% in 1999 and 13% in 2000 and 2001. This drop was the first seen since women began entering the profession in large numbers in the early 1970s. Obvious barrier issues here. (Lonsway, 2006).