International Association of Women Police

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Police women at the Zulu Reed Dance Ceremony in South Africa

The International Association of Women Police (IAWP) is a global organization for women in criminal justice professions. Its mission is to "strengthen, unite and raise the profile of women in criminal justice internationally."[1]

Mission and Vision

According to the IAWP website, its mission, as stated in Article III, is to “strengthen, unite and raise the profile of women in criminal justice internationally”. Its vision is to ensure that “women’s lives [are] free from discrimination, valued for their contribution, and treated with respect and dignity. To contribute by being an example of excellence in securing a safe, harmonious workplace and society as partners in safety in the criminal justice system”. These core beliefs and objectives encompass the main message of the International Association of Women Police, and focus on standing up for the

police force
deserves.

History

The International Policewomen's Association was founded in 1915.

police force and opposed separate women's bureaus within police departments.[2]

The Records of the International Association of Women Police are housed in the Lloyd Sealy Library Special Collections, John Jay College of Criminal Justice.[2][4]

Causes for Formation

As Stated in its Mission and Vision Statements, The International Association of Women Police came to be in order to fight against the

criminal justice system
. [6]

Harassment

The IAWP promotes the idea that female officers should not live in fear of

sexual acts, or promising a promotion or pay raise in return for a sexual favor. A hostile environment involves any act that unwanted and may have a negative effect on the person being acted against and their job performance. This may be in the form of offensive or rude remarks about a person’s body or gender. According to their book, anyone is capable of harassment; it is not limited to just men harassing women. Other forms of harassment involve inappropriate touching, remarks about one’s body, and offensive remarks that degrade the individual. According to Women and Policing News Wire, 80 percent of women on the police force have encountered or been a victim of harassment on the job. Wells and Alt go on to say that few women feel the need to report the colleagues that harass them and usually let the harassment slide, due to the fact that many women who report their harassment end up being accused of various crimes such as drug abuse, child abuse, receive death threats, and fail to receive backup when they call for it. ”[7]

Discrimination

One of the main goals that the IAWP prides itself on is the abolishment of

maternity uniforms or leave benefits for these policewomen.[7]

Limited Job Opportunities

The IAWP prides itself on equality, and ensuring that women are presented equal opportunities in their

men. While a male officer may be asked to go on a special assignment, a female officer may be forced to handle less serious matters.[7]

Equal Treatment

All across the

careers in the criminal justice
system.

Mounted policewomen in Poland.[9]

Prostitution Stings

Women

sexual favors, that in itself may feel wrong and inappropriate to some women. However, on the opposite end of the spectrum, if a police woman is not approached or asked for her services, her colleagues may make fun of her for not being able to pick anyone up.[10]

Various Stresses on the Force

The

police force in general may be stressful. According to Leanor Johnson, author of “Job Strain Among Police Officers: Gender Comparisons,” women may begin to feel so stressed from the job that they begin to feel burned out and useless; they feel as if they are not making a difference in the world. Men on the other hand begin to treat citizens as with disrespect and disregard them entirely.[11] While both men and women may handle stress in various ways, there may be some benefits coming from this. Each gender handles the different emotional stresses that may be encountered on the job, thus allowing a wide range of ways in which handling crime can be dealt with.[12]
The IAWP makes it known that women are quite capable of handling various difficulties that will appear on the job, and though stress may be difficult to manage, it is not impossible.

Benefits Resulting From Women Police Officers

In recent years, women on the

criminal justice system. Barbara Sims, Kathryn E. Scarborough and Janice Ahmad also have quite a bit to say about this topic. These authors of “The Relationship between Police Officers' Attitudes Toward Women and Perceptions of Police” go on to say that if women are fully appreciated on the police force, then the benefit of society is sure to follow. Fighting sexism would, overall, promote the growth and success of society.[14]

Women Sheriffs and Police Chiefs

The IAWP's main goal is to empower women all across the world. One way women are able to do this is by working their way up to important roles on the police force such as

police chief. In the book “Breaking the Brass Ceiling: Women Police Chiefs and Their Way to the Top,” author Dorothy Moses Shulz discusses the struggles that women are faced with in order to reach the top in their criminal justice career. Difficulties such as sexism and lack of faith in their abilities may hinder some women from attempting to have careers in these positions. Though the journey may be difficult for women in this field, Shulz goes on to say that it is definitely not impossible for a woman to reach the top of this career path.[15]

In Recent Years

In the organization's recent years, the number of women joining the IAWP has grown, and has not just been limited to women. Men that support the rights of women on the

international borders.[16]

Programs

The IAWP holds annual training conferences in major international cities, featuring invited speakers and exhibitors.[17]

The association offers an international scholarship under the IAWP Scholarship Program. An officer outside of the United States is selected to attend the Annual Training Conference at no expense to the Officer or her police organization. The IAWP also offers prestigious international awards in policing under the IAWP Awards Program. Nominations for each of the categories are solicited and awarded annually on an international basis. The International Association of Women Police is the only non-profit organization to offer international recognition for women in the law enforcement professions.

Regions and Areas Covered

The IAWP has a total of 26 regions where there are coordinators for people to contact. Within each region there is at least one coordinator's email linked onto the official IAWP website. There are coordinators in various states of the US, and all throughout Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. To find a coordinator closest to any region/location an individual may find thelist on the IAWP official website.[18]

See also

Publications

  • The Policewomen's Bulletin (1962–1974)
  • The IAWP Bulletin (1966–1997)
  • PoliceWoman (c. 1970 – 1987)
  • WomenPolice (1988–present)

References

  1. ^ "About IAWP". International Association of Women Police. Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Records of the International Association of Women Police Finding Aid". Lloyd Sealy Library Special Collections, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  3. ^ "Brief History". International Association of Women Police. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Manuscript Collections". Lloyd Sealy Library Special Collections at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  5. S2CID 143968570
    .
  6. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.bjc.a014235
    .
  7. ^ a b c Wells, Alt, Sandra, Betty (2005). Police Women: Life With the Badge. Westport, CT: Praeger.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. S2CID 154436001.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  9. ^ "File:Police officers of Poland (3).JPG". 2008-01-13. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  10. S2CID 144156710.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  11. ^ Johnson, Leanor B (1991). "Job Strain among Police Officers: Gender Comparisons". Police Studies: The International Review of Police Development.
  12. S2CID 145400449
    .
  13. ^ Gray, Madison (30 September 2013). "How to Curb Police Corruption: Hire More Female Cops". TIME Magazine.
  14. S2CID 145509506.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  15. ^ Schulz, Dorothy M. (2004). Breaking the Brass Ceiling: Women Police Chiefs and Their Paths to the Top. Westport, CT: Praeger.
  16. ^ "IAWP A Brief History of the Organization from 1915 to Present". {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  17. ^ "Events". International Association of Women Police. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  18. ^ "IAWP Regional Coordinators".

External links

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