Provide regular training to officials on addressing violence against women. Establish a special police unit for domestic violence calls and consider assigning social workers to serve jointly in such units with police. Establish close liaison and joint strategies with medical professionals, social work agencies, local “safe houses” and relevant community organizations. Assign female officers to deal with female victims of crime. Review recruitment, hiring, training and promotions policies to remove any gender bias. Assign female officers to carry out all searches and supervision of female detainees, and separate female from male detainees. Provide for special detention facilities for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Adopt policies prohibiting discrimination against officers on the basis of pregnancy or maternity. Establish open channels of communication for complaints or recommendations by female officers on issues of gender bias. Increase patrols and preventive action in high crime areas, including foot patrols and community involvement in crime prevention, to reduce the risk of violent crimes against women. Questions 01. Identify the factors that work against all people being given equal protection of the law, and state what can be done to improve the situation. 02. Physical violence against a women by her male partner is a crime. In view of this, why has it been necessary to emphasize to police agencies and police officials that such crimes are to be fully and fairly investigated? 03. It has been argued that social, economic and political inequalities of women in relation to men provide a structure in which men perpetrate violence against women. Do you accept this argument? If not, why not, and what alternative argument would you propose? If you do believe it is true, what can be done to correct the situation? 04. In what ways does violence against a woman by her male partner differ from unlawful acts of violence between other categories of people? Are such acts of violence dealt with under the normal law of assault in your country or is there a separate and special offence of “wife assault” or “violent assault on a woman” with more severe penalties on conviction than other forms of assault? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of having such a separate and special category of offence. 05. It is sometimes argued that, for social and cultural reasons, police responses to victims of sexual offences are not satisfactory. Specify what these cultural and social reasons might be. Are they applicable in your country? What can be done to overcome the problem? 06. One way of ensuring adequate cooperation between the various agencies that provide a response to domestic violence and other crimes against women would be to form a unit consisting of, for example, police officials, social workers, health workers and specialists in emotional counselling. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of forming such a unit? 07. Consider the various ways in which a police agency can provide a sympathetic environment for interviewing victims of rape. Which way would be the most practical and effective in your country? 08. What methods are used in your police agency to ensure equality of opportunity for women police officials? Are the women police officials satisfied that these methods are adequate? What else could be done to improve the career opportunities of women police officials? 145