Female Police Officers

5. Women working in the criminal justice system make up the minority. This is particularly true for policing and corrections. Women make up around 30% of correctional officers and only 15% of police officers. Their gender can work in their favor, but it also works against them. Some departments or correctional facilities will specifically look to higher female officers because of their statistically better ability to defuse situations without the use of force. Research has shown that women are more capable of talking down situations and are less likely to use force. This skill is particularly helpful in policing. Women officers typically come off as less intimidating and for this reason people are more willing to comply with orders given …show more content…
Male officers often question whether or not a female officer will be able to “have their back” in a dangerous situation. If a situation were to turn violent and physical force is needed, it is believed that female officers will not be able to hold their own. Policing and corrections have historically been viewed as masculine work, exerting a physical and social dominance over people. Women in corrections and policing are not always accepted by their male coworkers. In day to day work males may ignore the women, or be hostile towards them. Belknap officers a couple explanations for such behavior. The male officers may be intimidated by the idea that a female can do the same job that they do and secondly the male officers may have an illegitimate fear of their safety. Research by Kanter and Jurik, referenced in the text, show that male guards were twice as likely than females to believe that male guard safety is in danger when working with a female officer. Women working in the criminal justice system essentially go against societal norms in that they cannot be passive or submissive all the time. The jobs require a certain level of dominance and ability to control a situation. These characteristics are typically associated with males and for that reason, the …show more content…
For this reason, it is important that the response to victims of violence be addressed. The way that society responds to violence plays a big part in the continuance of gendered violence through generations. If society accepts gendered violence as the norm it will continue to happen. By raising awareness of resources and being more open to victims, will increase the amount of victims who actually report their cases. By having more accurate reporting, better policies will be able to be enacted in order to further prevent gendered violence and will also open up the possibility for more rehabilitative services for those in need. An example of how educating people on gendered violence and the various resources available for victims, has been successful is with sexual assault on college campuses. By educating the entire school population about various campus resources available for victims there was an increase in reporting. Colleges that offer sexual assault education programs noticed a change in men’s behavior and attitude towards rape and rape culture. While ignorance is no excuse for gendered violence, education on the topic is a sure way to help reduce the risk. By reducing the stigmatization of boys from a young age and pressuring them to conform to society’s definition of a man and later educating males and females on gendered violence would help