Harassment, stalking, threats and attacks targeting New Zealand politicians: A mental health issue

Abstract

Objective:Due to the nature of their work, politicians are at greater risk of stalking, harassment and attack than the general population. The small, but significantly elevated risk of violence to politicians is predominantly due not to organised terrorism or politically motivated extremists but to fixated individuals with untreated serious mental disorders, usually psychosis. Our objective was to ascertain the frequency, nature and effects of unwanted harassment of politicians in New Zealand and the possible role of mental illness in this harassment.Methods:New Zealand Members of Parliament were surveyed, with an 84% response rate (n = 102). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected on Parliamentarians’ experiences of harassment and stalking.Results:Eighty-seven percent of politicians reported unwanted harassment ranging from disturbing communications to physical violence, with most experiencing harassment in multiple modalities and on multiple occasions. Cyberstalking and other forms of online harassment were common, and politicians felt they (and their families) had become more exposed as a result of the Internet. Half of MPs had been personally approached by their harassers, 48% had been directly threatened and 15% had been attacked. Some of these incidents were serious, involving weapons such as guns, Molotov cocktails and blunt instruments. One in three politicians had been targeted at their homes. Respondents believed the majority of those responsible for the harassment exhibited signs of mental illness.Conclusion:The harassment of politicians in New Zealand is common and concerning. Many of those responsible were thought to be mentally ill by their victims. This harassment has significant psychosocial costs for both the victim and the perpetrator and represents an opportunity for mental health intervention.

Public Figure Fixation: Cautionary Findings for Mental Health Practitioners

“…While many in this study appeared to have some computer skills, most preferred more direct forms of communication, particularly letters and emails addressed to the POH target(s). There may be cultural variations, with higher rates of social media harassment (60%) reported by New Zealand Members of Parliament (Every‐Palmer et al, ), compared with similar surveys of British Members of Parliament (10%) (James et al . , ), and State Parliamentarians in Queensland, Australia (37%) (Pathé et al, ).…”

“…While the presence of fixation is typically heralded by problematic contact with public figures, other citizens may be equally or more at risk of harm. There is evidence that the staff of public office holders (POHs) experience substantial rates of harassment by fixated constituents (Lowry et al, ) and family members of POHs may also be targeted (Every‐Palmer, Barry‐Walsh, & Pathé, ; James et al ., ; Pathé, Phillips, Perdacher, & Heffernan, ). Mentally ill, fixated persons pose a risk to themselves, from their neglected illness and associated behaviors, as well as their heightened vulnerability to criminal victimization (Maniglio, ).…”

Is it Safe to Keep This Job? The Costs of Violence on the Psychological Health and Careers of U.S. Mayors

“…Research on the effects of violence suggests, not surprisingly, that people who experience violence often suffer psychologically from the experience (American Psychiatric Association, ; Every‐Palmer, Walsh, and Pathe, ; Henderson and Van Hasselt, ; National Institute of Mental Health, ; Spiegel, Koopman, and Classen, ). Violence by its definition is something that forcefully intends to cause harm, often resulting in dire consequences.…”

Public Figure Attacks in the United States, 1995–2015

“…Their fatality rate when attacked was 55%. Stalking, threats, harassment, and problematic approaches are very common for politicians, and can be a source of both hypervigilance and misery (Adams et al, ; Every‐Palmer, Barry‐Walsh & Pathe, ; Hoffmann & Meloy, 2014). In one study of attacks against western European politicians, over half resulted in a fatality or serious injury.…”

“…The mentally disordered, fixated, and non‐ideologically motivated were responsible for the most tragic outcomes (James et al, ). In a New Zealand survey of Members of Parliament, 87% reported harassment, and 15% of those public figures were attacked by their harasser (Every‐Palmer et al, ).…”