Safeguarding the Well-Being of Women in Law Enforcement

Research has shown that women in law enforcement generally experience higher levels of stress and are more likely to provide frontline care to vulnerable populations than their male colleagues. Since they also perform the bulk of domestic labour and child care at home, COVID-19 threatens to intensify these systemic inequalities as the pandemic makes it impossible to divide work and home spaces.

Debra Langan and Carrie Sanders, associate professors in Laurier’s Department of Criminology, were awarded $24,879 to conduct a gendered analysis of the impacts of COVID-19. They are collaborating with Ontario Women in Law Enforcement, a networking and professional development organization, to examine whether, how and to what extent COVID-19 has exacerbated the challenges and inequalities experienced by women in law enforcement at work and at home.

Langan and Sanders plan to provide recommendations for how police organizations can safeguard the well-being of women in law enforcement and the important gains that have been made in their recruitment, retention and promotion.