Women in disciplined forces facing up to gender discrimination

Abstract

'To enter, prosper and survive within an organisation can depend upon how a person is viewed by decision makers whether the person is viewed as a full organisational member, as someone who fits in, as a committed person' (Barett, 1988 quoted in Clarke, 1992: 1). Clearly, the common assumption that women's first priority is their family and their home, poses considerable problems for women. This is especially so when women decide to enter male-dominated areas such as the police force or the armed forces. This long essay will attempt to elicit the similarities and contrasts in the experiences of female officers within the Malta police force and those within the armed forces of Malta. The hypothesis of the author is that females within these two disciplined forces face the same stressors and limitations.