GENDER SENSITISATION OF POLICE OFFICERS

GENDER SENSITIZATION OF POLICE OFFICERS

Gender sensitization can be defined as instilling a feeling of empathy in the mind of a person for the opposite gender. The difference between sex and gender can be traced in various landmark cases. Sex is a biological concept and is assigned by birth. On the other hand, gender is how society regards a person i.e., how the community accepts the person. Violence against women is increasing at an alarming rate and thus there is a need to protect the outspread of the crime. Not only women, a person belonging to the LGBT community are also vulnerable victims of violence and sexual harassment. Police play a crucial role in combating crimes and in an investigation of offences, but what about the offences committed by the police? Or the ones committed under their custody! Or their insensitive behaviour towards people? Hence, there is a need of sensitizing the police personnel’s not only for the betterment of the victim but the accused as well.

The Constitution of India has always been a promoter of equality, the Constitution of India provides rights for gender equality which are:-

Article 14: Equality before law and equal protection of laws.

Article 15: Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of race, sex, etc.

Article 16: Equality of opportunity in the matters of public employment.

The following Directive Principles in the Constitution also specifically relate to gender equality:-

1. Article 39(a): That the citizens, men and women equally have the right to an adequate means of livelihood.
2. Article 39(d): That there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women.

Gender equality is not only important because the Constitution lay so but also to unleash the energy and productive capabilities of all the genders.

The Human Development Report published by the UNDP indicates that those countries which rank low in the "Gender-Related Development Index" (GDI) also rank low in overall human development (as mentioned by Human Development Index) and the status of the country in several other parameters.[1]

Need for sensitisation of police officers

The need of gender sensitization arises in order to remove the prejudices and biases of police officers towards women in general and women as victims as well as women colleagues in particular and to develop in them the required professionalism (in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes) for dealing with cases of violence against women more effectively. It is imperative that all State police organizations undertake suitable initiatives, including organizing of training programs to sensitize the police personnel at all levels. Such biases have serious consequences for the morale of women. Justice meted out to them, entry of women into the police force, etc.

How can it be done?

There is a palpable gender sensitivity deficit that occurs in the functions exercised by police in India. There exists double jeopardy for women and they have to suffer because of these social factors, and there is an urgent need that police officers discharge their duties in a gender-sensitive manner.

To make police officers behave and act in a gender-sensitive manner in cases of violence against women and in the discharge of their duties, there is an urgent need to conduct gender sensitization training courses for police. At present, the concept of gender is misunderstood by a vast majority of police officers. There is also a lack of proper awareness of the prevailing gender inequalities among police officers.[2]

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. [3]

The stereotypes held by the police about sexual violence/harassment and domestic violence (blaming the victim, etc.) indicate the general attitude of the police towards women.

EFFORTS TAKEN SO FAR TO SENSITIZE THE POLICE OFFICERS

In spite of the increasing cases of violence against women in the country and the inadequate behaviour of the police personnel in dealing with crimes against women, no systematic and sustained efforts have so far been made by state police organizations or the central police force to sensitize the police department in regard to various gender issues.

Recently the anti-CAA protests witnessed the irrational behaviour of police towards the women, and the incident where the girl students of the Jawaharlal University Campus faced violence by police shows the inappropriate behaviour of police, and there is a need for sensitizing them.

There are few measures that have been taken, but there is no appropriate law in this regard. For example, the Delhi Police has made efforts to impart gender sensitization training to Inspectors/ Sub-Inspectors with the help of the Gender Training Institute in New Delhi. The credit can be traced back to Dr. Kiran Bedi, Joint Commissioner (Trg.), Delhi. Such training courses are also being organized for Inspectors/Sub-Inspectors in Maharashtra by the method of module development on the basis of gender sensitization training. The module so developed are also used for conducting gender training courses by various state Police. The Administrative Training Institutes of the country have also conduct gender sensitization courses for multiple organisations of the country. The National Police Academy also conducts a seminar on “Gender Issues”.

However, the reach of all these courses in terms of the number of police officers covered has been very limited so far (less than 1% of the total strength of the police organizations). Further, the training courses are limited only to officers of the rank of SI/Inspector and senior officers in the police organizations. Systematic efforts have so far not been made in the state and central police organizations to impart gender sensitization training to the constabulary, which constitutes nearly 80% of the workforce.[4]

[Author's Name: Deeksha Chugh]

[1] http://www.ncw.nic.in/sites/default/files/Gender%20Sensitization%20of%20Police%20Officers.pdf

[2] http://iksa.in/gs4/what-is-the-rationale-for-gender-sensitization-training-for-police/2746/

[3] http://ncw.nic.in/sites/default/files/Gender%20Sensitization%20of%20Police%20Officers.pdf

[4] http://ncw.nic.in/sites/default/files/Gender%20Sensitization%20of%20Police%20Officers.pdf