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Help! Police(lady)!
My aunt was a policewoman. Whenever I asked about her
job, she told me that it was not good one because policewomen were not
regarded as important as policemen. Three years later, she quit her job
for she had reached a dead-end in her work. However, the times are changed.
Policewomen were able to get only limited roles before, but they are changing
their situation and it makes us predict their positive future. Policewomen's ability was being ignored even just 10
years ago. Women in the police were permitted to work in only limited
parts which are not directly related with criminal cases. "In 1989 I applied
for a section in charge of violent crimes, but my application was rejected
because of my gender," said Kim Kang-ja, the first female police superintendent,
"the chief of the police station where I worked, recommended me to go
to a section for civil petition." She is just one example of female police
who got obvious discrimination in their ability. The ratio which sections
policewomen worked in, from "White Paper of Police" published by Korean
National Police Agency in 1990, shows us that few policewomen could have
chances to get jobs related with violence. Only five policewomen (0.75%)
worked in crime prevention sections, no one worked in a section in charge
of violent crimes; the rest worked in civil petition (32%), administrative
support (19%), information inspections (16%), and other offices. And this
role discrimination made other discrimination that women had difficulties
to be high ranking officers. "Modern Women," which is a female magazine,
explained why policewomen couldn't be promoted: policewomen worked in
only particular sections, it means they had no experience in treating
violent crime, so they with their limited experiences couldn't keep pace
with their male colleagues in promotion. The number of policewomen's ranks
shows us that situation very obviously. The highest rank of women was
just police captain in 1990. There were only 21 female police who can
be regarded as officers according to "White Paper of Police 1990": only
four police captains and 17 lieutenants. What gender discrimination provided
was not only pain of policewomen but also the finest temper as steel in
a forge for the future. Women in the police have never given up and have been
improving their situation. Many policewomen are performing so much well
in lots of fields dominated mainly by men. For instance, they solved several
cases which were not solved by men, such as to prohibit business with
teenage prostitutes in the red-light districts and to control awfully
serious demonstration rallies into peaceful convention. A weekend magazine
'Jukan Donga' reported JAN 20 2000 that Kim Kang Ja, the first female
Police Superintendent, was trying to cut off the prostitutions of teenage
women in the red-light districts on starting for her new post. Originally,
to stop the deal with prostitutes was hard for male police because of
whore-masters' bribe and threats. As to policewomen's role of controlling
demonstration rallies, 'The Newspaper for Women' said that to put police
women in the demonstration occurring - places for controlling was a wonderful
project and made the roles of policewomen widen. In the situations of
promotions of policewomen, policewomen are getting more opportunities
now than past. And some of them were assigned as heads of police stations
- this rank is the highest that policewomen have ever taken from the foundation
of police women corps. Korean famous newspaper 'Chosun-Ilbo' announced
JAN 24 2000 that two women of the heads of police stations - Kim Kang
Ja and Kim In Ok - started their duty in their posts. The skyrocketing
number of high female officers shows us the changes obviously according
to the "White Paper of Police 1998": 2 police superintendents, 5 majors,
15 captains, and 85 lieutenants. It becomes common that policewomen work
in various sections than before and are promoted as commissioned officers
like men; it is expected that the segments which women occupy in the whole
police will increase as time goes by. The number of female police officers will increase
and the roles of policewomen will be diversified. there will be more policewomen
in high rank. According to Joongang Ilbo, a famous newspaper in Korea,
issued in January 2000, over 50 percent of the female examinees for promotion
in Chungnam Police Agency passed the examination, while just 14 percent
of the males passed it. The newspaper said the rate of successful female
examinees increased sharply from 4.4 percent in 1999 to 10 percent in
2000. The newspaper in December 1999 reported that 5 female cadets would
be appointed as lieutenants and 20 civilians with bachelor's degree would
be appointed as sergeants from 2000. Many sections, which policewomen
had not been able to apply for, will open. The newspaper issued in February
2000 said female special police forces would be launched from April 2000
and put into operation from October, playing the same roles with the male
forces. "The number of policewomen will increase and their roles will
expand to areas such as security investigation and violent crime prevention,"
said Lee Moo-young, the General of Korean National Police Agency in the
interview with the press in December 1999. Thus, there will be more high
ranking women in the police and policewomen will take operation in various
sections. Till recently, policewomen were not able to work in
sections directly related to crimes and violence, but they have struggled
to overcome the inequality. Now some policewomen are working in sections
in charge of crimes and violence and have solved some problems that were
not solved by policemen. The roles and positions of policewomen will likely
improve. Policewomen in Korea are running to achieve equality with policeman. |