Women in the police force

Women in the natural rightfulness take appearChapter One IntroductionThe role of the constabulary in the beau monde can neither be overlooked nor be particulard without the practice of law pluck to en ferocity the law, which facilitates reduction of crime and disorders and to protect individuals as well as subject property, human coexistence would be unbearable if non impossible. The patrol forces are divided into various arms according to the issues in the society and the structuring varies from one state to some other as stipulated in those nations constitutions. For many centuries prior to the nineteenth, the police force force was almost purely for men as it was argued that the job descriptions were non suitable for women.Law enforcement was traditionally perceived as manlike field todays presence of women in this career is a product of countless legal battles. In many countries the tests for entry into the force were agility and strength. The gates of police brea k away were not disseminateed to those who did not meet the physical requirements. The battle had to be taken to the courtroom resulting to the Amendment of Title septenary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The amendment prohibited race, sex, religion and color beastlyd discrimination (Seklecki Paynich, 2007).Problem FormulationThe recruitment of women in the police force can be traced from the 19th century nevertheless this recruitment has been nominate wanting. There has been an mental unsoundness as uttermost as the military position and the number of women in the force is concerned. This paper aims at expounding on the conditions of women in police force are the conditions fair? Does sexual urge biasness prevail in the police force? What situations are women police squeeze to bear with in performance of their duties? The hypothesis of this literature review is, does sex activity have an effect of how police clear upicers are treated in the workforce? almost of the challeng es that have been identified as what women law enforcers go through include Recruitment, Promotion, job description, affirmative action and gender, sexual harassment, self esteem, qualification requirements among many others. rough of the things that will be established in this paper include Conditions to be fulfilled for recruitment in the force, challenges of promotion to highschooler ranks, affirmative action in the endeavor to better police women conditions in the force among other key issues that affect police women directly.Sexual HarassmentTheorists has posited that oppressions that are based on gender or/and sexual orientation are intrinsically linked. Harassing behaviors that are based on gender or sexual orientation are based on a common root that aims at maintaining a patriarchal society which stipulated gender roles. Sexual harassment in work was defined by Magley (1997, p. 15) as unwanted sex-related behavior at work that is appraised by the recipient as offensive, e xceeding ones resources, or threatening ones well-being. This problem is very common in many nations USA having no immunity its estimated that 35- 50% of all US women and 9-35% of all US men have been victims to sexual harassment. Shaw has notice that sexual harassment is not only physical, tho also involves comments, treatment in sexual nature, and any activity that is based on a persons gender and makes the person feel uncomfortable. sexual urge BiasSexism is a dash of thinking about sexes sexism is a form of discrimination, or gender based biasness. Gender roles emanate from having much(prenominal)(prenominal) a way of thinking. Many people are socialized to believe that there are chores for men while some others are for women, hence if one is seen doing what is culturally believed to be for the other sex, its perceived as incorrect conduct. Gender biases are based on stereotypes, where people are judged according to their physical traits, physical abilities, interest, occupa tion attitudes and constitution traits. Gender biases are the basis for maltreatment of fe virile law enforcers (Shaw, 2000).Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEWMasculinity CultureSantos (2004) made observation of the challenges that Latin American (Brazilian) women police were going through prior to establishment of women police stations. The case study explained how the women police come throughd to overcome the maleness culture that was dominating the police force and perceiving the women in the force as just items of showing gender concern for the nation but not for any real work. Santos has concurred with Conselho Nacional dos Direitos da Mulher (2001) observations that women police in Brazil were discriminated and accorded the light duties as such was the most rational approach to their role in the force considering their gender women can not manage hard tasks. Indeed the very absence of institutionalized gender-based training for women police was a clear indication of the limitati on of creation of womens space in the manful and repressive arm of the state.Natarajan (2009) argued that there is a need to have a separate but an identical model of policing whereby men and women should have separate departments. The antecedent behind such an argument was based on Natarajan observations that contempt the fact that the western countries had moved from what he referred to as reluctant separate and unequal status for women police officers, the police women remained to be numerically minority and demeaned in role playing within the police force. She pointed out that the women police were faced with barriers to equal price of admission to diverse roles and tasks available in the police force as compared with their male counterpart. High integration is not an option if women will have equal opportunities as men in maintenance of law and order. His argument was that use of back door approach would facilitate recognition of women value as officers in police department . From a look into conducted in among Indian police she argues that in effectiveness in police department especially on gender issues result from men supremacy of police force, women are not free to express their challenges to men.Underground DiscriminationSilvestri (2003) has remark that despite many nations removing barriers that were preventing women from entering to the male-dominated police career, the structures are and to be fully transformed to warmly accept women in the field. He has pointed on the ratio in their leadership in police top positions as an open evidence of that fact. For example in Australia, they occupy just 6.3 per centum of the top national policing while US top police leadership has 5 percent women representation. His argument is that discrimination of women policing is still on but less visible and more subtle and discrete, it ope rank from the underground and the police women experience it and are affected routine by it, no wonder have higher stres s as opposed to male police.Women IntegrationThe integration of women in police force is far from being achieved. Natarajan (2001) has posited that in many countries if not all, women comprise of a very minute percentage of serving officers. He draws from many studies that identified that women are yet to be fully accepted as qualified candidates from the duties in police department. Barriers to full integration emanates from various circles, including male officers prejudices, societal attitude and beliefs on police career and women, and inherent differences between both sexes in physical capabilities. The women law enforcers that were studied complained of lack of promotion, family suffering because of tight work schedules, getting late for brotherhood which resulted to birth complication, and works that were physically draining. Natarajan stated that these reasons have used to justify lack of integration, for women were not fully contented with what the police career entailed.Le adership unstablenessSilvestri (2005) noted that in Wales and England glass ceiling has been cracked in the police force however the number of women in the force and in high positions the Great Compromiser to be disappointingly low. Silvestri noted that a decade after Pauline Clare was appointed as first Britain woman chief constable, there was very little change in ratio of traditional men to women police amidst numerical increase of women in police force. He argues that myths of women as weaker sex and lacking faculty to manage the heavy duties in the police force are still prevalent. Drawing from a research on what it takes to be police leader, he gear up out that police leaders are expected to be knowledgeable agents, of which stereotypes posits that women have lesser knowledge compared to their male counterpart. He noted that police force is faced with a challenge of long working hours which though unsuitable for both men and women, women suffers the more for they long hour s are incompatible with womens family roles consequently demeaning any hopes of rising up the leadership ladder.Women StressStress SpilloverThompson, Kirk and Brown, (2005) conducted a research on stress spillover among police women and how it affects their careers as well as their family. The high occupational demands in the police force acts as limitation to women advance in police career. They noted that women are known to reflect more workplace stress more than men, consequently women who are interested in making their marriages and families work find it hard to cope with police force work. They found out that emotional exhaustion act as a mechanism through which workplace stress spills over to the family, consequently reducing family cohesion. Thompson, Kirk and Brown, (2005) shared their findings with Morash and Kwak (2006) that the victims suffer interpersonal disorder such as withdrawal which affects women more than men. Women being more socialized to family hood resolve to giving in to their families than careers, this is taken as the base of women low ranks in the police force. The stereotype is used to abase the police women in their pursuit of senior positions.Rank and StressWhile conducting a research on the relationship between high ranking women officers and low ranking women officer among Greek officers, Antoniou (2009) identified high ranking officers were more stressed in comparison of low ranking. He pointed out the difference was as a result of the male bosses get down to oppress women not to rise upper. This strategy was observed as having been employed in many states. He identified that women were intimidated through threat of their personal integrity, exposure to danger, and violence and rape threats by beau officers or criminals.Stressor and ObstaclesDowler and Arai (2006) conducted a study to identify how the male dominated field may increase stressors and obstacles among female police. They first noted that despite the steady resu lt of women in the police force, they are still by far under represented with 12.7% only of the entire body of large organizations lawn enforcers and 8.1% in small agencies. They noted that from conviction immemorial police work was perceived to be mens hence masculinity subculture is yet to be exited creating additional stressor for female officers based on male centered surroundings. The women experience significant resistance and resentment from male administrators, supervisors and counterparts, especially by the chauvinists who have grave reservations on women in relation to competency as law enforcers. The reservations and resentments are based on femininity stereotypes. Women police table men-colleagues attitude towards them and their career as the most significant setback that they face in doing their work. They identified that men and women police have divergent perceptions on gender discrimination, which acts as the source of conflict as women feels they are judged accord ing to their gender. Dower and Arai concurred with McCarty, Zhao and mixture (2007) who argued that workplace stress is manageable if one had peer support to share challenges with. legal philosophy law enforcers have a low percentage of women hence in many places women have no one to share their pains with.Stress and SuicideWhile reporting on a study conducted on the rates of self-destructions among police officers as compared with their respective genders Burke (2006), observed that the rate of male officers who committed suicide was lower than the total males who committed suicide, but police women suicide rate was four times more than all the women who committed suicide. The study therefore concluded that police women were subjected to more stress than male counterpart.Women ReactivatesSun and Chu (2008) conducted a research in an attempt to identify gender differences in policing. The study was pitch towards understanding what approach the police prefer as the most effective t o law enforcement. The women respondents were more supportive to an aggressiveness approach as opposed to men. The researchers argued that the reason for women attraction to aggression was in an attempt to prove that they were capable and did not fear male criminals. This was perceived as a strategy to put off stereotypes against women law enforcers.In a study conducted by Seklecki and Paynich (2007) on police womens perception about their career as law enforcers, most of them felt that they were equally capable if not better than their male peers. Most the interviewees tabled harassment from their male peers and their husbands based on their career as the greatest challenge they face daily. Most of them were found to deliver better than men since they worked with an attitude of proving the allegations that they are lesser able wrong. Criminals also were easily caught by women for most perceived women as not being able to hand put them into trouble. Their greatest battle is battle chauvinistic harassment.Public PerceptionYima and Schaferb (2009) conducted a research to identify how the public perception of police affects the officers job satisfaction. The research identified that the public perceptional image on officers influences their job satisfaction as well as delivery. Community perception of women law enforcers is that they are less capable as compared with their male counterpart, this demoralizes the officers and most of the time they do a duty to prove that they are able not to fulfill their duty. While not on duty they are esteemed for achieving mens career, but are not trusted as capable of delivering.Affirmative ActionTougas and Beaton (2005) observed that were it not because of affirmative action in the United States, women would have remained to find out and admire the traditionally male-dominated careers. Nevertheless they did not fail to notice that change in workforce composition was still facing immense challenges. Police work was perceived as requiring males because of the physical strength required and the dangers police officers are exposed to. Women involvement in the work was perceived as challenging masculinity icon of the work. They shared the observations with Hunt (1990) in arguing that violence and criminal issues are not feminine, hence women should keep of and let those who are endowed for such (men) deal with them. They argued that this were the basis for harassment, exclusion from some tasks, and discrimination. Tougas and Beaton argued that as much as affirmative action has facilitated a great deal of women entry to the force, the numerical imbalance is still immensely visible. Perception of police women as lesser police is a prevalent form of sexual harassment.Collins (2003) conducted a research geared towards identifying why there was a significance increase in the harassment among female law enforcers despite having laws that are supposed to protect female officers from such harassment, from the publ ic or their peers. The writer identified that Florida criminal justice standards were wanting as in many other states. The article writer noted that despite collecting enough evidence of pervasiveness related to sexual harassment, the number of sexual harassments were on the increase. He argued that the increase emanated from the minimal discipline that was imposed on culprits, it was straight hence encouraging more men to do if not repeat such acts.Chapter Three Conclusion- Seklecki and PaynichIn an attempt to find an answer to the hypothesis of whether gender have an effect of how police officers are treated in the workforce, Seklecki and Paynich (2007) conducted a national survey of female police officers. They pointed out that to have women in law enforcement was a battle that was won in courtroom through amendment of the constitution. They have noted that the police force was men workplace and women were expected to keep off for the duties involved required masculinity. Seklec ki and Paynich identified that qualification to the police force required agility and physical strength.Seklecki and Paynich conducted literature review on the findings of various writers on women policing. They found out that the entry of women to law enforcement career has been very low with as little as 15% of the entire police force. They have observed that police force is still structured for men limiting women from joining and fully exploiting their potential in the career. They observed that discriminations against women are still prevalent. The behaviors of female officers such as excessive use of force were linked to the discriminations, in attempts to prove they were equal police to their male counterparts. Seklecki and Paynich observed that objection of women from joining law enforcement career was/is an attempt to maintain patriarchal society and roles.Seklecki and Paynich observed that to ensure that women self-esteem in policing career was abased, male counterpart have created a negative work environment for women police. Female officers operate under pressure compared to male peers.ReferencesAntoniou, A. (2009). 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