Dawn V. Martin was a law professor at Howard University and was headed for a tenured position. A homeless man from the area decided he wanted her for his "wife" and made inappropriate contacts with her at her job. Ms. Martin did all the right things, contacted all the right people including Alice Gresham Bullock, the law school dean, campus police and Washington DC police. There is no doubt that they all knew the details of her stalker. However, no one followed proper precautions to ensure her safety at her workplace, in fact a month after this was reported, Martin was essentially fired from her job.Martin sued the university in federal court for failure to prevent sexual harassment and wrongful termination. A federal jury concluded in April 2006 that Harrison's actions created a "hostile work environment" and that the university failed to take adequate actions to end the workplace harassment.
Tomorrow is a landmark day for the case she has been working on for the past 11 years. If the Supreme Court decides they will listen to a rehearing it could change the way workplace stalking is treated for everyone, female and male.
A lack of federal protection could encourage stalkers to see the workplace as a safe place to harass their victims, while discouraging women from pursuing protection, said Alexis Moore, founder of Survivors in Action, a nonprofit in el Dorado Hills, Calif., that trains victim advocates. She also works with employers to encourage them to assist stalking victims, even when it might be easier for them to "get rid of the problem" by firing the victim.There needs to be an end to employer retaliation against someone who is being stalked at their workplace, as well as measures of protection granted to those being stalked.
"Stalking is a clear indicator and warning sign of violence," said Johnny Lee, director of Peace at Work, a nonprofit in Raleigh, N.C., that tracks workplace violence.
January is National Stalking Awareness Month and I can't think of a better way to support this than bringing awareness to the case of Dawn V. Martin.
Please join us at Peace4 the Missing
Missing Persons Awareness and Support Network
http://peace4missing.ning.com
