Women in Policing Survey 2011 Summary Report Aidan S. Tabor + Dr. Ronald Fischer Centre for Applied Cross-Cultural Research I Victoria University of Wellington PO Box 600 I Wellington I New Zealand 2 Table of Contents 1. Executive summary…………………………………………………………………….….3 2. Methods ……………………………………………………………………………….…..3 3. Participants…………………………………………………………………………….…..3 4. Promotion……………………………………………………………………………….…5 5. Training……………………………………………………………………………….…...6 6. Discrimination………………………………………………………………………….….7 7. Job satisfaction ……………………………………………………………………….…...8 8. Retention……………………………………………………………………………….….8 9. Problematic working relationships……………………………………………………..…8 10. Health………………………………………………………………………………….…..9 11. Areas needing improvement……………………………………………………………....9 12. Violence……………………………………………………………………………….…10 13. Women’s Advisory Network…………………………………………………………….11 3 1. Executive Summary The 2011 Women in Policing survey was open to member countries of the Pacific Island Chiefs of Police. In all, 115 women (59%) and 81 men (41%) from 16 countries took part. Comparisons were made to results on the same survey from 42 female members of the Australian Federal Police. Key Findings: • When compared to Pacific men and Australian women, Pacific women were the least likely to have been promoted, or to have acted at a higher rank in the past 5 years. • Women in Australia reported more gender discrimination (36%) than did Pacific women (31%). • Pay was the top issue needing improvement (61% men, 57% women). Only 22% of men and 28% of women believed their pay was appropriate for the amount of work completed. • Pacific men are more likely than Pacific or Australian women to experience most types of verbal or physical violence from members of the public. • Most participants in the study were satisfied with their job; only 8% of the total sample was unhappy working for the police. • Pacific men were more likely to be thinking of leaving the police force (37%) than Pacific women (30%) or Australian women (21%). 2. Methods This survey was conducted in two rounds, the first in Tonga and Tuvalu in 2010. The survey questions were expanded, and then the other member countries were asked to participate in July/August 2011. The survey had both paper and online versions to accommodate limited access to technology for some police members. Australian police women were sampled as comparison group only. All participation was voluntary and all answers were anonymous. 3. Participants A diverse group of countries participated in the study. Tonga contributed 29% of the total responses. 4 Figure 1 Participants by country1 There were 115 female participants (59%) and 81 males. Women were somewhat overrepresented in the youngest age category. Figure 2 Age distributions of Pacific respondents These participants from Pacific nations are compared to responses to the same survey from women in the Australian police force. The Australian sample tended to be older than the Pacific samples, with 19% being over the age of 50. As shown in the figure below, the participants in the study were primarily working in general duties/traffic/community policing or clerical jobs. Participants could identify more than one duty area. Of the women, 69% were in sworn roles, compared to 89% of the men. 1 Numbers reported are number of participants. 5 Figure 3 Duties of Pacific respondents Women were overrepresented in the early years of service, as 28% of the women had 5 years or less of service, compared to 17% men. Figure 4 Pacific respondents years in service 4. Promotion Participants were asked if they had acted at a higher rank in the past five years, whether they had been promoted, and whether they had completed the training for their new rank. As shown in the 6 figure below2, women from Pacific nations were the least likely to have experience acting a higher rank (26%), or to have been promoted (24%). Pacific men were most likely to have completed their training (36%). In all three groups, most people did not believe their promotions were justified given their performance (45% Australia, 43% Pacific men, 41% Pacific women). Figure 5 Promotions In the next 5 years, 24% of the men were expecting to be promoted, while 26% of the Pacific and Australian women were. The majority of women in the study believed that there are things that stand in the way of women getting promoted (70% Pacific women, 67% Australian women), though few men agreed (35%). Men in Vanuatu were particularly aware of barriers to women’s promotion (75%). When asked what causes these obstacles to promotion for women, participants’ top reasons were: • lack of opportunities (37% Pacific women) • lack of qualifications (22% Pacific men) • children/family (53% Australian women) 5. Training In the last 12 months, 50% of Pacific women and 57% of Pacific men had applied for training. In the expanded version of the survey, participants were asked if they were accepted to the training. Of the people who applied, 96% of men were accepted versus 75% of women. In contrast, 66% 2 Not all participants answered all questions, thus percentages reported represent those who answered the question. In some questions, participants could choose as many answers as applied to them, thus totals may equal more than 100%. Percentages in this report are rounded to the nearest whole number. 7 of the Australian women who applied for training were accepted. In Vanuatu, all participants who had applied for training were accepted. The main reasons for not applying for training were: • no courses available (23% Pacific women and 17% Australian women) • work commitments/no courses available (17% Pacific men) Nearly half (46%) of Pacific women believe that men are favoured in training selection. The selection process was a reason that 18% of Pacific women gave for not applying to take courses. Figure 6 Perceptions of male favoritism in training selection 6. Discrimination Participants were asked if they had experienced discrimination while working for the police force. Women in Australia reported more gender discrimination (36%) than did Pacific women (31%). For men, discrimination on the basis of cultural heritage was the most common (15%). 8 Figure 7 Discrimination 7. Job Satisfaction Most participants in the study were satisfied with their job. Pacific men were the most happy (62%). Very few Pacific women were unhappy (4%). In Guam, none of the women reported being unhappy with their job. Figure 8 Job satisfaction 8. Retention Men were more likely to be thinking of leaving the police force (37%) than Pacific women (30%) or Australian women (21%). Interventions that would stop them from leaving the police force were: • promotion/more opportunities (14% Australian women) • increased income/promotion (19% Pacific women and 26% of Pacific men) 9. Problematic working relationships Pacific women were most likely to have problematic working relationships with other female members (18%), though 43% reported no problems at all. Australian women found female supervisors and female members equally problematic (12%). Men reported some difficulties with male supervisors (14%) although 56% had no problematic relationships at all. Most common reason for the problem relationship was a lack of respect (30% Pacific women, 26% Australian women, and 20% of men). Bullying was relatively rare, with 14% of Pacific and Australian women reporting it, and only 6% of men. 9 10. Health Health was measured with 12 questions such as “recently have you been feeling unhappy and depressed” and “have you recently lost much sleep over worry?” Participants choose answers ranging from “not at all” (scored as 0) to “rather more than usual” (scored as 3). Average scores of 2 or over are a cause for concern. There was not a significant difference between Pacific women’s scores (average 1.7) and Pacific men’s scores (average 1.8). In Australia, women’s scores averaged slightly more (1.85). However none of the differences were statistically significant. Participants were also asked to name a recent stressful event and report on its impact in 6 questions, for example “pictures about it popped into my mind” and “I had trouble sleeping”. The questions were rated with responses from “not at all” (scored as 1) to “extremely” (scored as 5). Women reported feeling no more impact (average 2.62) from a recent stressful event than did men (average 2.77). Australian women averaged a similar amount (2.67). None of the differences were statistically significant. 11. Areas needing improvement In the Pacific region, there was a high amount of agreement between men and women on areas that need improvement. Pay was the top issue (61% men, 57% women). A minority (22% of men, 28% women) believed their pay was appropriate for the amount of work completed. Figure 9 Areas needing improvement 10 When asked what practices should be introduced, Pacific men were most interested in work rotation (31%). Pacific and Australian women were most interested in a women’s development program/targeting women for promotion. Figure 10 Practices to be introduced 12. Violence Participants3 were asked about violence against them perpetrated by members of the public. In general, men had experienced more violence on the job than women, however this difference was not statistically significant. As shown in the figure below, Australian women reported less violence than did Pacific women, but again, this difference was not statistically significant. 3 In the first round of the survey, used in Tonga and Tuvalu, these questions were combined and therefore are not represented in the findings reported here. 11 Figure 12 Incidence of violence from members of the public 13. Women’s Advisory Network The majority of participants were aware of the existence of the Women’s Advisory Network, though most were not members. The best membership rate was among women in the Pacific region (44%). Most thought it was easily accessible. Of the Pacific females who were members of their local WAN, 60% thought it provided high quality service. Figure 13 Knowledge and participation in WAN .