“The first time I really get to experience it is when I was at this police function and the driver of the officer come to me and was giving me some keys. So I look at him because I couldn’t understand what he was doing and then he tell me how officer [name given] say he leaving just now, and I must open he apartment and wait for he.
“I was like I am here with my gentleman and I turn and tell him not to ever do that again and I left. You know, the next morning I went to work I get transfer? Just like that, no warning nothing.”
The words of a woman, who has spent more than 30 years as a member of the Guyana Police Force. This is the second police officer I have spoken to since I started writing in this space and they both related being sexually harassed by their senior male counterparts. When rebuffed, those officers found ways to punish them, such as transferring them. According to this officer, who agreed to speak to me anonymously, it is a widespread phenomenon in the force, where junior women ranks are targeted.
“I would call it like an epidemic. You know like how they call corona an epidemic? Well this one, it around for years and like it ain’t going nowhere soon. I don’t know what can be done to change this, but I guess with time and cellphone and videoing and so on maybe. But for me, I come and reach it and I would go and leave it,” she told me.
“When I get transfer that time I was so angry girl. And if you see where he send me? When it rain, I use to get wet. Sometimes I used to be there alone at the outpost. I don’t want to say more about that place because you know people like to put two and two together and then try to identify me and to tell you the truth I not ready to play with my benefits. But what I telling you is the honest facts.
“Is months I went at that place until the officer get transfer. And you know now I does see he, he old and can’t really help he self and I does think of how powerful he was. I know is a lot of young junior officers he trouble, and he must be destroy some a them life and all. And now he just deh, old and with no power. After one time is a next and that is what I does want some a them same one in the force today to know—that they ain’t get that power forever.
“But you know when he move, and another officer come it was another thing to deal with. I was young and I wouldn’t say I was so good looking, but I used to always get me self clean and well put together. The other officer was trying with me, you know, making these remarks and so. But I just used to hold me head and ignore. Next thing you know is another transfer I get. I was not getting any promotion even though I was in the force for years, all I getting was transfer,” she said, laughing sarcastically.
“You know, looking back, my father never wanted me to join the police force. But back then it was the easiest thing to do. I didn’t do well at CXC and I just wanted to get a career and my father did all kinds of things to get me not to join. But I still went ahead and today I still there. Some people might want to say, you know, I had good years here, but that is not the true. I not saying it was all bad, but it was a struggle.
“I finally get promoted when another officer come to the division and he knew how long I was in the force and I get my first promotion.
“Where I am today I don’t see it changing before I retire. Maybe the Lord would smile on me but to be honest I don’t think it will happen. But I thankful and I just want to continue to do my work to the best of my ability and then retire.
“And you know is not just you being targeted you have to also deal with the attitude of some of the ranks who have affairs with senior officers. Is like you could be in charge of a certain section or station and, you know, you give certain instructions. That rank might not want to follow it and they would call the senior officer with whom they have the affair, and he now would call you. It don’t be nice and a lot of time I see this, and it does cause eye pass [disrespect],” she added.
I asked her if she would encourage young women to join the force and even before I completed the question, she answered.
“No!” she said loudly. “I don’t even have to think about it. I would not encourage no young girl to join the force as a constable. If you join as a Cadet Officer then you more stand a chance because you join as a officer, you done wearing brown clothes so things might be better for you. But to join as a constable, I would say no, no and no again.
“But I know sometimes like it was for me, that young girl might feel there is no other option if you didn’t do well in school and you want a career and also want to earn and try to take care of yourself then you might think about it. And I can’t vex with them because this life hard.
“The most I can advise them to do is to stand firm and know their worth because the first time you slip up then that is it. No officer will marry a ordinary rank so it don’t matter if they not married, and it does hardly be that they are not married, they not will take you as the wife. You know how much a them I know did think they would be wife? But it never happen. Some of them women is officer all and still they did not make wife so what about a junior rank?”
I asked her if maybe some of the older and more senior women officers would speak out on the matter so as to change what is obviously a frightening pattern.
“Many policewomen would not want to talk about what has been happening because you know you a part of the force, but you check them when they talking among themselves or to people close to them you would hear the stories. I can say I never went with any officer intimately, but because of that I not where I could be in the force. I went through some trials in this force. I just thankful that I no longer young and right now I just looking for my retirement and I am out,” she answered.
“And then there is no cooperation among the female officers; is everybody for themselves. Some of the junior ranks, maybe they enjoying the whole thing because they getting promotion and they getting life sweet. Is like they salary can’t provide certain things but with help from a senior officer they can do a lot of things. I may sound selfish but I just looking at getting out. I only talking to you right now because I kind of know you and sometimes I does want vent but I not going and put me self out there to get target.”
While her answer saddened me, her reasoning was also crystal clear. I have heard stories of women being targeted not only in the police force but other disciplinary forces and in other workplaces. Sexual harassment is an epidemic indeed but not many are willing to fight against it and those who do are often targeted. My advice to women who might be reading this is wherever you can help a sister who might be targeted please do. I am not asking you to put yourself at risk but there are times we can do something to assist with little effort. Let’s do that. Help a little, it may go a long way.
