Harassment and Other Problematic Behaviors Experienced by the Staff of Public Office Holders

An expanding literature highlights the prevalence of inappropriate and concerning behaviors toward politicians, particularly by mentally ill, fixated individuals. However, little is known of the risk posed to the "frontline" staff of politicians who are often the first point of contact for these unstable individuals. This study examined the extent to which the harassment of political figures is also experienced by staff who work in the constituency offices. It investigated the prevalence and characteristics of threats and other concerning behaviors toward staff at electoral and ministerial offices across the state of Queensland, Australia. An anonymous survey was distributed to office staff and 67% of respondents reported experiencing at least 1 form of harassment. The most common of these included inappropriate telephone calls, threatened legal action, threats to harm the staff member, loitering outside of the workplace, and unwanted approaches. Respondents frequently indicated that these behaviors had caused them emotional discomfort. In 48% of cases the harasser was thought to have a mental illness. These findings highlight the vulnerability of constituency office staff to these intrusions, the importance of formal training and security procedures in constituency offices, and the need for a referral pathway for mentally ill, fixated individuals.