₦airaland Forum

Sexually-Harassed policewomen: Our male bosses punish
us for refusing their sexual advances
JULY 4, 2015 : JESUSEGUN ALAGBE
14 Comments
A group of policewomen | credits: Odutayo Odusanya
In 2002, after 35 years of service, she retired as a deputy
superintendent from the Nigeria Police Force, while her
squad mates did as superintendents, assistant
commissioners and deputy commissioners. Wine glasses
were raised up on the day they retired, all laughing and
dancing to have served in the Force and retired alive, and
not killed while on the job. Some others were not that lucky.
Nonetheless, she wasn’t happy and maybe she still isn’t.
Thirteen years are gone now since her retirement, but
anytime she remembers the treatments meted out to her by
her male bosses, the agony returns. But for the passion
she had for the job, she would have long quit, but she stood
up against them, fought them with everything at her
disposal – for the most years she spent in the Force.
They were bent on frustrating her – and they succeeded, at
least to some extent.
First, her promotion through the ranks was always delayed;
second, her name was dropped at least twice from the
inspectorate and assistant superintendent of police calls –
promotional training courses for members of the Force; and
finally, she was always asked to perform duties that were
below her capability and strength.
Whether her female colleagues succumbed to the threats of
their senior male colleagues for them to have retired at
higher levels in the Force than her, she couldn’t tell. “What I
know is that I kept myself pure, I never compromised,” she
looked in the eyes of our correspondent and managed to
flash a brief smile.
Clara – not her real name – joined the Nigeria Police Force
when she was around 25. The Enugu State indigene, who
pleaded not to be named for fear of being a target of attack,
was young, pretty, slim, with a chocolate skin colour and a
great dress sense. Unknown to her, these qualities
endeared her to many of her male bosses. “I was getting
too much attention from almost every senior male officer,
and before I knew what was happening, I was being asked
out by most of them. It took a while for me to know I was
going to pay dearly for turning down their proposals,” she
said.
She joined as a recruit, a spinster at that time, and
immediately, she became a victim of sexual harassment.
To make matters worse, she didn’t marry a policeman,
which she said could have helped in stopping the
harassment, but she chose to marry someone else, her true
lover.
She said, “It was my passion while growing up to be a
police officer. I just loved anyone in uniform. Thankfully, I
had the requirements to join, so I applied and it was
successful. I joined as a recruit at that time. But it wasn’t
funny. I started becoming an object of attraction from my
male bosses, which I really didn’t like. But it wasn’t mere
attraction; they wanted to sleep with me. They asked me
out many times, tried to lure me through gifts and promises
of speedy promotion. I am glad to say it anywhere that I
turned them down.
“To make it worse, I
didn’t marry a member
of the Force. Another
man owned my heart.
Probably if I had
married a member of
the Force – at least
one of those I got
proposals from – it
would have been
easier. The
harassment wouldn’t
have been as tough as
I experienced.
“It wasn’t long before I realised I was going to pay for not
giving in to them. Many times I was posted to places like
the police cooperative, where my skills and knowledge were
rendered useless. I had the physique and the intellect to be
at better posts, even in the field. But they did not allow me
to be at such posts. At least twice they removed my name
from the lists of officers to go and study abroad. And to my
surprise, they made it obvious to me that they were
punishing me for refusing to have sex with them.”
These treatments ultimately led to her depression, but she
found a way around it to still get on, without letting it affect
her work.
“When it was becoming too obvious that I was suffering
from depression, my husband asked me what was
happening and I told him, but he kept on encouraging me.
Of course, he couldn’t have done anything to stop them if
he wanted me to stay in the Force,” she added. “He
reminded me of the passion I had for the job and that kept
me on. So at a point in time, after spending about 10 years
in the Force, I got used to the threats and developed a
stronger mind. My squad mates all left me behind because I
was the only one that I knew whose promotion was
delayed. Today, I’m a victor; I fought and I won. I didn’t let
them determine what happened to me.”
Maybe she retired as a fulfilled police officer, but not as a
happy one – an assumption based on her expression when
she spoke with Saturday PUNCH in her Lagos residence on a
cold evening past weekend.
Caught between two options
Clara is retired now, but there are presently other female
police officers who are being sexually harassed by their
male bosses; some of them spoke to our correspondent on
the issue on the condition of anonymity.
They want to keep quiet – and say nothing about what they
are passing through, especially if they want to keep their
jobs. They cannot write petitions; they are scared – they
said even if they do, the petitions might eventually land on
their bosses’ tables, which could lead to an end of their
careers ultimately. They don’t know whether they would be
believed even if they complain. Hence, they are living with
it.
Some weeks ago, our correspondent approached two
policewomen, who retired in their booth after spending
some time controlling the traffic along the Lagos-Ikorodu
Expressway, to seek their thoughts on the issue. At first,
they looked confused, but after being assured that their
identities were never going to be disclosed, they caved in,
and gave Saturday PUNCH an address where they could talk
about it.
On the agreed
day and time,
they showed
up in muftis.
“You can help
us write
about it, but
don’t ever
quote us,
don’t show
our faces.
Don’t
disclose
where we live or our duty posts,” one of the two instructed.
They agreed that Saturday PUNCH could take their pictures
only if it would not implicate them in any way.
Deal was done.
One of them, a dark-skinned woman, probably in her late
30s, told our correspondent that if she knew another job
that was free of sexual harassment from male colleagues
and bosses, she would opt for it. “But it is difficult getting
such. Getting this one was not easy in the first place, not to
talk of looking for another one,” she said.
When she was recruited into the Force a few years ago, she
said she had no idea that apart from having the right skills,
her fate on the job would depend on whether she could
sleep with senior male officers.
She said, “I’ve been asked out several times by my bosses;
they know I’m married, yet they still want to sleep with me.
This is not something so strange to me because even
before I joined the Force, it happened. Men like to ask
ladies out whether they are married or not; they just don’t
care. Unfortunately, I cannot do it. I am a faithful Christian
and no matter the threat, I will never let them have their
way. It’s not normal, I suppose.
“The only challenge I’m having right now is that my
husband is not here in Lagos, so many of them don’t
believe I am married. They usually ask me to produce my
husband; meanwhile, I am not the type who wears wedding
ring every time. I have told a senior female colleague about
this many times, seeking advice on what to do, but it’s like
there is nothing to do than to either maintain my stand or
compromise.
“She told me if I compromise, it would help my career, but if
I don’t, I will be persecuted. I have chosen the latter. I can
never sell my body to climb the ladder of any career in life,
no matter how juicy the offer is. When you are here, you
cannot write petition against any boss like that, except if
one is asking for trouble. A boss will always be a boss.
When the matter goes up, it will still come down and one
will be hurt more. That’s what this is all about. I think it
happens in most organisations.”
Yes, it does happen in many organisations in the world, but
that doesn’t make it right, a Nigerian sociologist and
marriage counsellor who lives in the United States, Mrs.
Kenny Oyediran, told our correspondent via Facebook.
She said, “It is not a new phenomenon, it’s been happening
for ages, but because it is happening does not make it
normal. Organisations of today have to stop this immoral
behaviour. As a society, we are losing our sense of value
almost every day and we are just sitting idly by, doing
nothing about it.
“Women who are harassed in their workplaces, do you think
they would have any self-esteem on the job? Would they be
able to explore their full potentials on the job? Would they
be productive? The answer to all these questions is ‘no.’
They would underperform, they would not believe in
whatever they are doing. They would be at the mercy of
their bosses. Their successes on the job would depend on
their bosses. It is just not normal.
“They are not going to be at their best on the job and
service to the country. If this is happening, which I don’t
doubt, then it is high time it stopped. It is ungodly, evil, and
devilish. Women should be allowed to be themselves and
get to the peak of their professions by their own acts, not by
how many male bosses they can sleep with. Harassment
and victimisation of women help no organisation, nor any
country.”
Harassment endangers security of Nigerians
If female police officers could be allowed to explore their
skills on the job, maybe the security of Nigerians would be
better off, a security expert in Lagos, Mr. Peter Akanmu,
said on the phone.
“Women can do amazing things if they are given the
chance to prove themselves, but in a situation where they
are being harassed sexually and victimised if they refuse to
succumb, they will not be able to explore their potentials.
Such organisation as a whole will suffer,” he said.
He added that the security of the country should be of
priority to every police officer and not thinking of how to
sleep with their female subordinates.
He said, “There are bad eggs in the system and we all know
that; they are the ones hindering the success of the Nigeria
Police entirely. Imagine someone whose name was dropped
from overseas training list because she was upright. If she
had gone for such trainings, she would have probably
improved and contributed a lot more to the security of the
country in her own little way. She was denied the
opportunity. That’s wickedness.
“Of course, it is possible that there are no proper channels
for these women to report these cases, due to the kind of
corrupt system we operate, so these women will live with
the victimisation. Instead of becoming great fighters, they
become cowards.”
Recently, there were reports of young Kurdish female
fighters who took up arms against ISIS.
According to the reports, instead of running away from their
cities and allowing the Islamic State terrorist group to
destroy their lands, the women picked up arms, stood up
against them, and repelled the terrorists.
Lives were lost, but they did not die as cowards.
“Even though that was not a workplace scenario, the point
is, those women had the chance to prove themselves.
Nigerian policewomen can be their best also if they are left
to do the job without having to compromise,” he said.
It’s a global phenomenon
Workplace harassment has become one of the most
sensitive areas of effective workplace management. In a
report, it was stated that a significant source of work stress
is associated with aggressive behaviours at workplace.
It was also stated that developing countries, including
Nigeria, are far behind other countries in that there are
limited efforts to investigate the questions on workplace
harassment. It is almost unseen and the managers are
almost reluctant or unconscious about it.
Under occupational health and safety laws around the
world, workplace harassment and workplace bullying are
identified as being core psychosocial hazards.
A psychologist, Mrs. Moyo Owolabi, said depression and
work stress are often some of the by-products of sexual
harassment.
“Such female officers need counselling and they should go
for it. It is sickening that you have a job you have passion
for, but instead of enjoying it, you are being harassed. It
leads to depression, which leads to low productivity. It is
everywhere, but I hope the Nigeria Police does something
about this quickly,” she said.
The other victim, who volunteered to speak to our
correspondent, said she was already looking for another
job, in the absence of which she would start a business, so
as to escape the trauma.
“I cannot say I’m enjoying this anymore. If you cannot do
what they want, you are oppressed. If I get another job
today, I’ll quit,” she affirmed.
Perpetrators go unpunished
In a recent report by The PUNCH , it was found out that
cases of sexual harassment of policewomen by their
superior officers are usually not investigated or addressed
by the police authorities.
According to the report, the phenomenon is rampant at the
divisional level, and is frequently perpetrated by Divisional
Police Officers and Divisional Crime Officers against their
female subordinates.
However, investigations showed that a huge number of
petitions against DPOs and DCOs submitted to the Police
Service Commission by the rank and file have been largely
unattended to by the commission.
An official, who spoke on the issue on the condition of
anonymity, explained that the police authorities do not
bother to investigate allegations of sexual harassment. He
said many of such petitions by female complainants had
ended up in the dustbins.
He said, “There are so many cases of sexual harassment,
especially at the divisional police level; we have cases of
DPOs forcing themselves on junior female officers and if
such a lady refuses, she would be oppressed.
“If she agrees to the DPO’s sexual advances, the DCO also
would demand for sexual gratification, but if she refuses,
she would be oppressed or punished and if she petitions the
commission, the allegation would not be investigated and
the errant officer would not be queried or punished.”
Hope for victims?
A professor of law and human rights, Itse Sagay, said there
are laws guarding against sexual harassment in the
workplace. He advised victims of such to report the one
who is harassing them to a senior officer.
Sagay added that if, after reporting such matters to the
appropriate authorities, nothing is being done to address
the situation, the victims could sue the Force and seek
redress legally.
“It is an infringement on their civil rights as employees. No
one is permitted to use their position in the workplace to
intimidate their female subordinates. If there is nothing
done after they have written petitions, such victims could
sue the organisation,” he said.
In The PUNCH report, the Police Service Commission, an
arm responsible for constituting actions against
perpetrators, complained that there were no funds to carry
out its operations and maintain discipline in the Force.
It was also learned that the PSC does not have the capacity
to probe allegations of misconduct against police officers,
but relies on the police to probe themselves.
A senior official explained that whenever the PSC receives a
petition against a policeman, it would forward same to the
Inspector-General of Police, who would send it to the
Command Commissioner of Police and he (the CP) would in
turn send the petition to the DPO who would then dispatch it
to the individual involved.
“Usually, the PSC doesn’t get a feedback on such petitions
and when it does, it may take up to six months or longer
before the police would respond and the verdict is usually
neither here nor there,” the official stated.
However, the PSC Commissioner-in-Charge of Media,
Comfort Obi, said the commission had been holding
meetings and enforcing discipline in the Force, adding that
all petitions are duly investigated and the appropriate
sanctions meted out to errant police officers.
“Even if you say we lack funds, we have been holding
meetings and we have promoted many officers and also
punished errant ones this year; in fact, I just stepped out of
a meeting now,” she told The PUNCH.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu,
would not agree that policewomen are being harassed by
senior male officers. He said he had not heard of such
cases in the police, but promised to sanction any
perpetrator of the act.
“Nigeria Police is concerned about the welfare of its
officers. We don’t tolerate oppressive conduct in the Nigeria
police, even if the petition is against a CP, it would be
investigated by the X-squad or his superior officer,” he
maintained.
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Contact: editor@punchng.com

Thank G0d u retired pure and unc0mpr0mised....if u av G0d, w0 shall c0me against yhu? N0b0dy..... 0das shuld learn frm dis...

Tales by moonlight, as in u expect me to go through all these?

Dem too dey get big yansh nah

Working as an employee is bullshit..

Work for yourself. People should learn..

am tired self for reading all that things

see aw I dey sweat self mchew

donholy28:
Op u just copied encyclopedia and pasted 4 us..u even copied date and time... nawah o

the thing tire me too ooh...abi na morning prayers?

donholy28:
Op u just copied encyclopedia and pasted 4 us..u even copied date and time... nawah o

the thing tire me too ooh...abi na morning prayers? wetin?

Who get time for dis long epistle.

Waris dis?

Wen I take "west germany" weed I go fit read dis "story book".

Is this the 800 pages report submitted to BUHARI by the the transition committee headed by Joda ?

Na wa u go pray if I read it all?

Dude, long story short: straffing on the job is productive to a certain level. It's a norm ingrained in our societal consciousness and those foreign based psychologists would be the first to open their legs if there was an inducement for their jobs.