WOMEN’S NETWORK


National Federation Chair John Apter (centre) with delegates at the seminar. RANGE OF EXPERTS AT EVENT


A Women’s Network Seminar at the Federation’s HQ in Leatherhead placed the spotlight on misogyny, domestic violence,


sexual harassment and the possible discrimination in police fitness tests, particularly for some female colleagues. The event was organised by the Police


Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) national Women’s Group and, in opening the seminar, National Federation Chair John Apter acknowledged female staff within policing were treated differently from male counterparts. He explained: “There badly needs to


be a restart. Following the horrific murder of Sarah Everard, we can’t put this down to just one bad apple. However, around these difficult issues we also need our leaders to be more visible. Misogyny is not just a problem for women, it’s a problem for us all. If we remain silent in the face of such negativity, we are failing each other.” Guest speaker Professor Louise


Mullany from the University of Nottingham discussed the issue of misogyny and the power of language. Professor Mullany, a respected linguist, said “banter” and jocular abuse were extremely damaging in the workplace, and asked delegates to call out colleagues who overstepped the mark. She said: “When it goes too far and you see it, then please call it out. You can’t change everything by language because sexism is so powerful. When something


is misogynistic, you ideally need men to help champion the cause of women, because this is also very important.” The PFEW Women In Policing


Award winner, Chief Inspector Sharon Baker, explained how a Force-only video initiative, where she told her own harrowing story of domestic abuse, led to 50,000 views on Facebook. She said: “Nothing prepared me for the response, including 138 members of staff who came forward after my video. “When I discovered only 20 per cent


had reported domestic abuse, it showed me what we still had to do. The most common comments I heard were about shame and embarrassment, and that’s why I am so passionate about working on behalf of victims within policing.” In another session featuring Sussex


Police’s Brooke Jarvis and Louise Crawford and North Wales Chief Constable Carl Foulkes, equality, diversity and inclusion lead at the National Police Chiefs’ Council, delegates heard about sexual harassment issues and how to positively change the narrative around the subject. The trio told how Sussex and Surrey


Forces had signed up to the global “commit to gender equality” initiative HeForShe (heforshe.org/en). They also discussed the progress being made in encouraging and mentoring talented women who were in danger of missing out on promotion options through a lack of confidence and other gender-based issues.


Chief Constable Foulkes said PFEW


had a “huge part” to play in supporting and challenging behaviours within policing and added there was still work to be done on gender imbalance. He said: “We still have too many


female colleagues who don’t feel they can be police officers and look after children.” In the final session of the first day,


PFEW National Board member Ian Saunders discussed a PFEW initiative to ensure fitness tests are not discriminatory. He said: “How many women don’t


return from maternity because they know this is waiting for them?” He outlined that PFEW wanted to


ensure fitness tests were “about what is required for the job” and not about institutional sexism. On Day 2, delegates heard the


powerful testimony of former firearms officer Rhona Malone who won an employment tribunal against Police Scotland due to victimisation. Rhona said: “I loved being a police


officer and really miss it. But now I really want to empower people to stand up and speak out.”


John addresses a session at the event. 29 I POLICE I DECEMBER 2021


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