Researcher: "The norm within the police basis for sexism"

In the incident surrounding the police Christmas party in Hälsingland, where the police reported themselves, police researcher Malin Wieslander sees two phenomena that she recognizes from her research: The fear of being excluded and the culture of silence.

- It is not easy to say if you perceive something as inappropriate, especially if you are in a subordinate position, such as a woman or sexual minority. Then it is even more important to make sure that it is included. Therefore, it is no wonder that female police officers agreed to stand on stage and contribute to the culture themselves, she says.

When Malin Wieslander published her dissertation in 2014, she described the norm she had seen in the union with the following words:

"Male, white, Swedish, heterosexual and secular."

Today, when asked about changing the norm, she replies:

- The police's quest for increased diversity has been toned down and the change is modest, but there is a greater opportunity for #metoo to gain recognition that the norm may be a problem.

In reporting about the case in Hälsingland, a local police chief has questioned whether the union really lives in a culture of silence. These police officers should ask two questions, says Malin Wieslander.

- One is if you really have access to everything and the other if you have really worked to make a change. If you do not answer any of these questions, you have found the answer to whether there is a culture of silence or not.

That an employee chooses to go out on social media is in itself a sign of a culture of silence, says Malin Wieslander.

- The police who were alerted went out on social media and not to the chief. If there is no hearing internally when expressing a point of view, you turn to the outside for support.

In order to bring about a change in culture, police chiefs must now take public distance from sexism and reward employees who want to change culture.

- The salary can be used to break the culture of silence. Managers who give payroll supplements to employees who do not resign and float with can instead give the highest turn-on to those who claim problems and come up with the best change idea instead.