The Upstander: Co-Workers,Prevention and the Workplace Impact of Domestic and Sexual Violence and Stalking

On September 11, 2012, Amanda Connors drove up to the front door of the hair salon she managed in South Dakota and confronted Tyrone Leon Smith, the gun-wielding boyfriend of her employee, Heidi Weber. Mr. Smith fatally shot Ms. Connors and then turned the gun on himself A few days earlier, Ms. Weber had obtained a temporary protection order against Mr. Smith, after he was arrested on a domestic assault charge. After leaving jail, Mr. Smith took the children from their babysitter and drove to the salon’s parking lot.  He then entered the salon and tied up the employees, who were later freed upon the intervention of Ms. Weber.¹

This tragic event takes place with numbing regularity.  Week after week, the news media report stories of women (rarely men) who are stalked and attacked, or fatally wounded, by current or former husbands or boyfriends at workplaces, frequently after obtaining an order of protection.² Sometimes the intervention of co-workers, customers or other bystanders alleviates the situation, but often bystanders become caught in the crossfire.  This column will focus on ways in which co-workers can serve as “upstanders” in preventing the workplace effects of domestic and sexual violence.

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