TOUGH LIFE FOR A FEMALE IN THE FORCE
When Carolyn Pethick joined the Victoria Police Force as a twenty one year old, she expected to be confronted by death, drugs, offenders, and all that came with being a police officer. However, nothing had prepared her for what she was about to encounter. She did not expect that all the problems, disappointments and heart break would come from within the force, from the members she worked with and trusted. She was not prepared for the blatant sexual discrimination, bullying and harassment that was an accepted part of police culture.
In her first job after graduating from the academy in 1981, she was sent to a station where there were no females and there was a general feeling of hatred and distrust towards women. After about a week, she was summonsed to the Senior Sergeant's office. She was abruptly told not to sit down because she wouldn't be there long enough and that he had no intention of working with a female (expletives deleted). This set the scene for the next three decades as she moved from one section of a male-dominated force to another.
On one occasion, she was posted to the car squad who were investigating a swathe of organised car thefts. The boss wanted to know why she was there. He said "You're a girl!" As a result, she was assigned to a clerical task of reviewing unsolved crimes just to get her out of the way. This proved to be a blessing in disguise because she was able to solve a big case which resulted in the conviction of a prominent business man. Surprisingly, her boss wrote a complimentary report about her achievements.
Later on in Carolyn's career, she decided to apply to become a detective. She had the necessary qualifications and experience to achieve this goal. In the process of applying, she asked a senior male officer to provide a reference for her. He said that he would only do it if she returned the favour, in a sexual way. She refused the deal but proceeded with the application only to be told that she was unsuitable. She was convinced that her rejection of the senior members offer meant that her file was marked as being unsuitable for the position.
After a stint in Mildura where Carolyn was the only female police officer in the area, she was relocated back to Melbourne. She became pregnant and found out that there would be no maternity leave. She decided to resign. After five years out of the force, Christine Nixon was appointed as Chief Commissioner and Carolyn rejoined the force. She thought things may have changed. She was wrong.
She was demeaned by her male counterparts for being a bad mother and not staying at home to look after her child. They made it hard for her. She was rostered on for weekends and night shifts. This prompted her to submit a grievance report which resulted in her locker being filled with toilet paper.
After more twists and turns, including a threat by the Ethical Standards Committee that she would go to jail for issuing a complaint against her superior officer, Carolyn finally gave up and left the force.
Five years ago, the Chief Commissioner, Ken Lay, initiated a Royal Commission into discrimination in the force. He was dumbfounded by the result. One in 10 men and women had been bullied or sexually harassed during their career. This meant that the victims could apply for compensation. After several years of trying, Carolyn is still seeking compensation.
In the meantime, she has written a book called "To Hell and Back" which is her warts and all story about her life as a police woman.