Police peer supporters for domestic abuse: applying Acker's gendered organisational lens to explore potential for cultural change
Liliana M. Belkin, Rachel WardPurpose
This research explores the experiences of peer supporters in a novel peer support programme developed by an English police force specifically for staff with personal experiences of domestic abuse, examining how this initiative operates within a traditionally hypermasculine organisational culture.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research approach was employed, utilising interview data from peer supporters participating in the programme. Acker's gendered organisations theory provided the analytical framework to examine how gendered processes are reproduced and resisted when a “gendered organisation” (police force) addresses a “gendered phenomenon” (domestic abuse).
Findings
The analysis reveals the complex interplay between change and continuity within police organisational culture. While police organisations are often characterised as reinforcing toxic masculinity, this peer support programme demonstrates that addressing domestic abuse – a form of gender-based violence – can create opportunities for cultural shifts in gendered norms. The data illustrate how gendered processes are both perpetuated and challenged within this context, revealing the persistent combinations of transformation and persistence identified by Terpstra and Salet (2019).
Originality/value
This study contributes to theoretical debates challenging oversimplifications of police culture as monolithic and unchangeable. By examining peer support for domestic abuse within policing, the research identifies specific sites where cultural shifts in gendered norms may be leveraged. The findings offer valuable insights into how hypermasculine organisations can develop supportive mechanisms for gender-based violence, advancing understanding of organisational culture change in policing contexts.