Group workshops on the themes of Training needs and Attitude Change, Life Style Management for Women in Police and Work Place Environment including Sexual Harassment at the Work Place, were conducted in the forenoon of the 28th July, followed by a plenary meeting in which the groups presented their conclusions before the house.

1. Sub-committee Training Needs and Attitude Change

The subcommittee on Training Needs and Attitude Change7 highlighted the following points in its presentation before the workshop:

A good police officer is not born but made. Given the same training, a woman would be equally capable.
Women recruits need to be put through the same training as their male counterparts, as well as to be given specialized skills that can help them to integrate more fully and give of their best throughout their service.

Special skills of women officers should be recognized as essential to successful policing, without stereotyping, and they should be encouraged to develop such skills through intensive specialized courses, in for instance, computer operations, mediation, counselling and communication.

The group agreed that the cornerstone of good policing is training, and that police training in general seeds to be pursued with more commitment than it has hitherto received. The importance of common or similar training for men and women staff was also emphasised, as an important step towards confidence building for the women recruits, as well as for the organization and their male colleagues in their capabilities. Several delegates recounted the experience in a number of states who have imparted the very same training to both men and women and continued this training in disciplines
thought to be the exclusive preserve of men such as the Commandos. In all cases, women have stood shoulder to shoulder with their male colleagues, and many times, have proved more competent The group also considered that special programmes that encourage all women personnel achieve their optimum in physical training, unarmed combat, self defense and ease in the handling of weapons are extremely useful. Specialization in these fields would, of course, be a major confidence building step for women, individually and collectively.

With due caution against stereotyping, the group recommended certain areas where women personnel could be specifically employed to make optimal use of their skills. All complainants coming into a police station could be more effectively handled by them in the first instance. They could also be beneficially employed in traffic and control room duties. Several relatively modern requirements of policing such as economic and white collar crimes, cyber crimes, computer frauds etc. could also usefully employ women. Of course they are ideally suited to duties involving prevention and investigation of crimes against women and children, for which the police forces regularly face charges of mishandling. pecialized training to handle these jobs must be designed and imparted to women in the police, and those with extraordinary skills should be encouraged to specialize in these fields.

It was also recommended that both men and women be imparted gender sensitization training, both at the recruit level and through refresher and in-service modules several times during their career. This would not only enable the police to come up to the expectations of the public in handling women victims of crime with more sensitiveness, but also facilitate the assimilation of women into the police organization.Improvements in training delivery with regard to both content and methodology are important. While not undermining the importance of physical training, most delegates felt that its content needs to be made more pertinent to developing stamina and inculcating confidence and courage in the recruits, whether male or female. Theoretical training content needs to go beyond law and police sciences and the methodology beyond classroom and lecture orientation. Training to inculcate the right attitudes, ethics and social responsibilities that the police as a career demands should be included. Further, innovative training methods such as use of audio-visuals, group and roleplay exercises, field visits and project assignments should be integrated into the training.

Attitudes are not so easily transformed through formal, prescriptive training. At recruit level itself, the trainee must recognize what his or her attitudes are and learn where these attitudes are coming from. The training has also to convince them that their existing attitudes cannot be stitched on to the job they are required to perform. Better crafted training modules, with inputs from professionals in training psychology and attitude change, need to be designed and administered at frequent intervals instead of just once or twice in a police officer’s career. Additionally, police women should also undergo such training as it cannot be assumed that they are immune to the stain of prevailing social attitude on gender issues.

The need for repetitive and periodic refresher training cannot be overemphasised. Refresher training has the bonus benefit of removing the officer from the stresses of formulating immediate responses to unforeseen situations, providing a breather to reflect and evaluate. The officer can be reacquainted with the values that underpin policing and see how they relate to her or his work from an objective point of view. On the job training is another aspect that needs more dedicated attention, as it provides an invaluable opportunity for learning based on comparison of theory and practice. Inservice training should be tailored to suit local requirements, and be trainee-centric instead of trainer-centric training should include inputs that Women personnel may require midlife 

Many delegates stressed the need to incorporate more women into the training staff of institutions. An example was given by the subcommittee of the Israeli Special Services, where the best of women officers are posted as trainers in the armed forces and secret services training schools. While encouraging the trainee to do even better than the female instructor, this also helps to develop a healthy respect for the women in the service.

2. Sub-committee on Life Style Management for Women in Police

The Sub-committee on Life style management for women in police made the following salient points: As quality of work goes hand in hand with quality of life, there is a requirement to visualize, plan and accomplish in a systematic manner, measures to ensure good “Life style Management” by governments, police organizations and leaders, and also by the women in police themselves. With a view to provide an umbrella for problem solving enterprises, an All India Women Police Association with its own web-site and news letter is required to be set up. A directory of women police, with profiles of successful leaders at all levels would also help in building confidence and selfesteem amongst the women in police. Development of mentoring programmes for women in various police organizations can ensure that senior women in the service can guide and help younger officers to integrate better.

Steps to empower women in police should include increasing their experience horizons, opportunities and mobility with in the organizations by providing equal opportunity for varied job descriptions. Recognition of services rendered by women in police by ensuring equitable recommendations for awards, medals and other forms of appreciation by the organizations, would help in building confidence and a feeling of self worth. Steps are also required to increase professional, social and emotional security in all its dimensions for women in police.

The group was of the opinion that women are often assigned specific duties but it is assumed that they will automatically possess the requisite skills and no training is administered in this regard. Organisations should take measures to impart focused skills to women in police that should include:

>> Skills in Communication - oral, written and telephonic.
>> Empowering skills like driving, computers and internet.
>> Skills in management of time, stress, people.
>> Soft skills - attitude, negotiation, etiquette.
>> Coping skills for body, mind and soul including yoga, self-defence, meditation.

That women competently manage both their homes and jobs is a fact that needs appreciation by both the police organizations and the families of individual women police officers. Several delegates recounted experiences of increased stress due to demanding dual roles, and expressed the view that the organizations would benefit by drawing improved performance from women if these dual roles could be considered without negative connotations, and wherever possible, facilitated.

A fresh recruit should be specifically counselled of the long hours of duty that might be required of her which may include working well into the night. Her family members, parents, husband, children and in-laws should also be made aware of what her job entails and the importance of their support for it, as it is not just another way of making a living. Greater interaction with women’s families in neutral situations like public functions is recommended to this end. Women inducted into the Para-military forces should have a longer “zero week” where they are introduced to the job, told about the pan-
India nature of their postings and learn about the culture and traditions of all regions of the country where they may be required to work.

An important suggestion that emerged during the deliberations was the desirability of breaking up long training courses into shorter modules of forty five days or so to help women to cope with demands arising out of their domestic environments. Work place improvements such as toilets and separate rest rooms were universally endorsed. In additions facilities such as crèches are recommended wherever a sizeable number of women are deployed, and in training institutions.

Posting policies should take into account that women are required to be posted in pairs for out of station and night duties. It is also recommended that drop and pickup facilities be arranged for night duties wherever possible and housing facilities arranged as close to the work place as feasible. The aim should be to enable the women in police to make their fullest contribution to police services and such facilities should not be looked on as special privileges or a hindrance in employing women in police organizations.

Keeping the above in mind, it is recommended that the scope for introducing more flexible rostering practices should be explored, together with considered policies that can match stages of career with stages of life. Maternity benefits were also considered to offer considerable scope for improvement with provisions for career interruption and suitable exit policies offered as options in conjunction.

The group was of the opinion that there was considerable scope for research to assess the range of issues and problems facing women in policing to review existing policies and practices including but not limited to job analysis, recruitment practices, education and training, sexual harassment, promotions, transfers, flexible working practices, career development, and performance planning and assessment. Such research could most effectively be conducted on a national scale, by the Bureau of Police Research and Development.

3. Sub-committee on Work-place Environment Including, Sexual Harassment

The Sub-committee on Work-place Environment Including Sexual Harassment8 at the work place made the following major points in the group workshop:

Sexual Harassment in workplaces is not an isolated phenomenon, but a manifestation of the larger gender discrimination in the society. The Visakha guidelines of the Supreme Court define sexual harassment as any unwelcome sexually determined behaviour such as physical contact and advances, demand or request for sexual favour, sexually coloured remarks, showing pornography or any other unwelcome physical verbal or non verbal conduct of sexual nature.

Various remedies are available against the offence of sexual harassment. A number of IPC sections cover the offence. In addition to the same the Supreme Court laid down guidelines in the Vishakha case which requires that the employer take steps to prevent or deter the commission of such acts. The employer shall create awareness, constitute complaints mechanism, initiate disciplinary action and even criminal action where ever required

Although the guidelines were laid down in 1997, a great deal remains to be done. Genuine implementation of Vishakha will be possible only when an attitudinal change is brought about in the men and women working in various institutions. Further a more victim centric and victim friendly mechanism is required to ensure that women subjected to sexual harassment get justice.

Many delegates opined that lodging of a complaint could result in increased and sometimes more violent harassment, especially when the complainant is isolated both by the employer and by her colleagues, and when complaints are met with an enquiry into the conduct of the complainant instead of into that of the perpetrator.The victim may be pressured to withdraw the complaint, either by persuasion or threats; and very often witnesses may not come forward due to threat.

The impact of sexual harassment at the work place can be very serious. The woman officer may suffer psychological symptoms such as nervousness, loss of self-esteem and confidence and feel guilty and humiliated. It can impose restrictions on women’s mobility and their deployment for latenight shifts etc. Due to slander on her morals and character the woman may be forced to quit her job or quit in protest herself.

The group carried out several exercises, a number of sub-groups were formed to deliberate at length on different aspects of the problem. These recommended that appropriate complaints mechanism should be created for the time bound treatment of complaints. In accordance with the directives of the Supreme Court, the complaints committees should be headed by women and, wherever possible, half its members should be women. Third party representation on the committees, as recommended by the Supreme Court, should also be considered, especially when the number of women officers available for the committees are limited.

Complaints must be handled in a time bound framework and kept confidential. The alleged perpetrator should be transferred during the enquiry. Standard operating procedures need to be detailed for the functioning of these committees and their working should be monitored by calling reports at quarterly and annual intervals. Finally punishments should be commensurate with the offence.

It was also recommended that special attention be paid to the work environment and its suitability for women, especially with regard to adequate provision for privacy. Separate facilities for male police officers, such as changing rooms where they can change in and out of uniform in privacy are also recommended. Ensuring that women are posted in pairs can also be a deterrent. In general this type of harassment is bound to come down if the department demonstrates that it cares for its women employees.