GENDER
INEQUALITY IN POLICE FORCES – POLITY
News:
Push for more women, this
time in the police
What's
in the news?
●
States in India need to act as data show
that the available women force is insufficient even in dealing with cases of
law and order that are related to women.
Key
takeaways:
●
Most States have a policy to fill up 30%
or 33% of the vacant posts (of direct recruitment) with women in their police
forces through horizontal reservation — i.e., if the minimum reserved vacant
posts are not filled up in each category of the SC, ST, Other Backward Classes
and un-reserved with women on merit, women candidates are pushed up in the list
to make up for the gap.
●
The reservation for women in the State
armed police forces is restricted to 10% in some States.
●
Women are generally recruited against
notified vacancies after permission is granted by the government to fill up
vacancies.
Need
for increasing the number of women recruits in police forces:
1.
Less policewomen:
●
According to statistics, policewomen
constitute only 7.13% (5,356) of 75,169 police personnel in Delhi.
●
Of these women, 90% are constables, while
less than 1% hold supervisory positions.
●
The numbers are low despite 20 states
having reservations for women in the police.
2.
State variations:
●
Despite the Centre targeting 33% of women
in police forces, only four states and four UTs had over 10% of women in police
forces.
●
In New Delhi, just 7% of police officers
are women and they are frequently given inconsequential posts that don’t
involve patrol duty, according to the Times of India.
3.
Involvement in crime:
●
In a response to an RTI query, it was
revealed that approximately 100policeman were found to be involved in rape in
the past 10 years.
●
To make matters worse, it was recently
reported that a sub-inspector of an area (Saket) was involved in rape on the
pretext of marriage.
4.
Reporting:
●
Because of several social factors, women
are afraid to report crime. In view of the above, there is need for police and
judiciary to act in a gender sensitive manner in all cases relating to violence
against women.
●
Women generally feel more comfortable
about approaching police manned by women, rather than regular police stations,
especially for women-related problems.
5.
Indifferent attitude:
●
Indifferent police and judiciary response
and fear of police deny women the access to justice.
●
Women’s presence in police and judiciary
need to be increased to make justice less fearful and less differential.
6.
Compassionate:
●
Women are compassionate, emotional and
nonviolent in general.
●
These traits can enhance the quality and
efficiency of a department as they are quick to respond to crimes against women
and children. They can be helpful in creating an excellent work environment
within the police organization.
Issues
faced by women in police force:
1.
Reservation policy:
●
While States adopt the reservation policy,
they are very selective about its implementation.
●
Very few States apply reservation for
women at all the entry points (constable, sub-inspector, and deputy
superintendent of police levels) or to all posts at each level.
2.
Working challenges:
●
Frequent inter-district transfers and
disallowing postings in home districts for specified periods of time coupled
with poor childcare support systems and lack of adequate facilities and
infrastructure present distinct difficulties for women.
3.
Disparity:
●
There is huge disparity in the
representation of women across ranks. There are far fewer women at the gazetted
ranks at the State level than those at the constabulary level.
●
While this is not a negative in itself, in
the absence of institutional support, women remain in large numbers at the
bottom of the ladder without moving up.
4.
Sexual harassment:
●
Sexual harassment at the workplace that
policewomen suffer is not adequately acknowledged.
5.
Masculinity:
●
There is also a lack of proper awareness
of the prevailing gender inequalities among police officers.
●
Even if there is awareness, the cult of
masculinity prevailing in the police organizations does not easily permit a
change in the attitude and behaviour of male police personnel toward women.
Institutional
changes required in police:
1.
Gender sensitisation:
●
It is for police to act as an agent of
change and engender gender sensitivity starting with their own ranks.
2.
Uniform reservation policy:
●
There is a need to adopt a uniform
reservation policy among all states with reservation in promotion.
3.
Better response:
●
In spite of growing crime, the police
response to violence against women and judiciary apathy continues to be grossly
inappropriate.
●
Police must work to change this attitude
and work towards better response in general.
4.
Women specific institutions:
●
There is a need to create women police
stations and more women should be taken as judges.
5.
Separate wing:
●
A separate wing of police may be opened
for dealing with women’s issues, in all police stations and personnel of this
wing should be exempted from other duties.