Igualdade de género nas carreiras e atuação das forças policiais

: perspetiva de homens e mulheres polícias

Abstract

This study seeks to understand how gender equality policies affect the careers of men and women in the police force, exploring their perspectives on gender roles, challenges, and opportunities in their professional context. To achieve the study´s objectives, interviews were conducted with six professionals from the Portuguese Police Forces (PSP and GNR). The results show that, despite the existence of Gender Equality Policies in Portuguese police institutions, most of the interviewed officers are unaware of them. There is a perception of equality in career access, recruitment, and progression, and a lack of specific training in gender equality. Although progress has been made in the integration of women and the expansion of the roles they perform, cultural barriers still remain- particularly in the acceptance of female leadership, the association of certain services with physical requirements traditionally attributed to men, and the occurrence of harassment and abuse of power. Finally, both men and women report performing the same functions and receiving the same pay, although society continues to attribute greater authority to male figures. With regard to the LBTI+ community, while most of the interviewed officers demonstrate respectful attitudes, they acknowledge that cases of discrimination persist within the police institution. The lack of awareness of Gender Equality Policies highlights the need for broader dissemination, mandatory continuous training, and cultural transformation in order to promote gender equality within the police, reconfiguring roles traditionally assigned to each gender and consequently making the profession more equitable.

Date of Award	30 Sept 2025
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Raquel Matos (Supervisor)