Reprisals for Sexual Harassment Complaints in the LAPD

Appearing before the council's Personnel Committee during a sexual harassment hearing, Penny Harrington of the Feminist Majority Foundation's National Center for Women in Policing testified that women in the Los Angeles Police Department who complain of sexual harassment face reprisals from their co-workers. Harrington said some women who do report sexual harassment see once-positive job evaluations turn negative, some have close family and friends subjected to investigations, and some are forced out of jobs. The inability of women to receive protection once coming forward with a complaint, has seriously hindered the ability to identify harassment. Kathy Spillar, national coordinator for the Feminist Majority Foundation, said that another major consequence of this retaliation is the unwillingness of qualified women to join the LAPD.

Media Resources: The LA Times - December 12, 1996

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