In Mexico, 7 Out of 10 Female Police Officers Suffer Gender Violence

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat

Seven out of ten female police officers in Mexico suffer from gender violence in their workplace. Only 17 percent of them report these acts because they fear retaliation from their coworkers or superiors. Of the cases that are reported, only 30 percent of them are punished in a court of law.

The non-profit organization Causa Común (English: Common Cause) presented these findings in March 2020 after conducting multiple surveys nationwide. 

The study was called "Being a female police officer in Mexico" and mostly focused in police forces in the State of Mexico and the municipality of Nezahualcóyotl. Most states in Mexico were part of the survey too, with the exception of Michoacán, Nayarit, Puebla and Tabasco, which declined to be evaluated.

Background

Women have played a role in public security in Mexico since the Revolution, but their role has largely been suppressed over the years. In the Revolution, the so-called Soldaderas (or Adelitas) were women who participated in the war and whose duties varied from commanders, combatants and camp followers. 

When the war ended, women were introduced to the Mexican police in 1930. They were part of a separate force known as the Policía Femenina (English: Feminine Police). The functions of these female police officers focused on providing guidance on historical, cultural and/or geographic data to citizens who requested it. 

Historically, female police officers have been assigned to administrative tasks; many often work as secretaries or cookers in the police force. These are roles that are generally not given to men. Hence, the objective of the survey was to encourage the government to design gender workshops in the police to sensitize men and women about these issues. Their goal was also to contribute to the reduction, and eventual eradication, of undue behavior against female police officers. 

Confessions from female officers

According to the organization's head Pilar Déziga, 20 percent of all police officers in Mexico are women. She said that women have confessed to them that they suffer from discrimination since they are recruited and begin training. Women interviewed said that they had trouble getting promoted and that their work-life balance worsened when compared to men in the same position. Many said that when they came forward to speak against a crime against them, they were harassed or victimized.

In the municipal police force of Nezahualcóyotl and the State of Mexico police, 68 percent of the women said they had suffered from offensive catcalling from coworkers. Others said they had been raped by their coworkers but did not press charges. 

Some of them said they did not seek for help because they believed the perpetrators would not be punished, that the perpetrators would later hurt them, or simply because they did not know where to go or whom to speak to about these incidents.

Other women said that they considered this behavior "normal" because they worked in a police where men are the majority. 53 percent of women interviewed said they believed the police force saw women as inferior to men.

Survey conclusions and recommendations

The surveys demonstrated that aggressive behaviors against female police officers are widespread and normalized. They can range from insults, threats, messages or photographs with sexual advances, touching, physical violence and rape.

Five out ten women do not participate in rank promotion courses; three out of these ten do not participate because their superiors consider them unfit for the new role. The remaining two have not even been considered for such courses.

María Elena Pizaña Ibarra, a commander in the Nezahualcóyotl police, said that it is important for men and women to study gender topics, and stressed that those women who were told they are unfit for their role or should not aspire for a promotion should by close attention to this.

Chantal Chastenay, the Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of Canada in Mexico, helped provide funds for the investigation. She said that female police officers play a crucial role in stopping gender violence in Mexico.

The survey recommended the government to create more gender workshops, particularly among commanders and instructors. They asked authorities to look into their code of conduct and ethics rules to make sure there are procedures in place to punish those (men or women) who conduct gender discrimination. Complaints play a key role in increasing awareness and they asked authorities to help protect the integrity those who go down this path.

Source: Milenio; Causa Común Report; Angel Metropolitano