Category: Biography Publisher: Self Published
ISBN-10: B01N1HPR76
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 153
Copyright: November 2016
ISBN-13: 9780646983356
Price: $4.99 (eBook)
“This book pulls no punches when it comes to detailing instances of sexual harassment, sexual innuendo and predatory behaviour. This honest hard-hitting memoir from a retired policewoman’s is a real eye opener int the inner workings of an Australian police force during the 1980’s and 1990s. Shocking, heart-wrenching and disgusting are just three words that come to mind in this particular battle for sexual equality.”
- John Morrow’s Pick of the Week
Carolyn Pethick is a passionate advocate for ending workplace discrimination, bullying & harassment.
Carolyn is also passionate about not tipping the scales of justice in the opposite direction and discriminating against men. It should never be about gender. It should always be about equality.
For over 30 years Carolyn Pethick served with the Victorian Police with pride.
It was a job she loved and she was a key part of every community she served. What most people didn’t know was that during these 30 years, she was continually bullied, discriminated against for being female and sexually harassed. The leaders who were supposed to “have her back” clearly didn’t.
Her resilience and willingness to challenge what she knew was wrong, sometimes at a horrendous cost, have been captured in her presentations and her book, ‘To Hell and Back – A Policewoman’s Story”. Her presentations focus on encouraging both men and women to speak up and report the discriminative treatment that they experience in the workplace on a daily basis as well as sharing the skills people need to be resilient in these situations.
She also educates the offenders on the long term effects that these behaviours can have on their victims. Carolyn has made it her mission to be the voice of the victims who are unable to speak out for themselves.
“I could have stayed in the Police Force and continued my career but when the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission Review into discrimination within Victoria Police was released I knew I had to resign and become a champion of change.”
Carolyn advocates for the promised compensation to be paid to the hundreds of police members who went through similar experiences that she endured. In December 2015 the Chief Commissioner and the Premier publicly apologised to these members and promised that no matter what the cost, these members would be compensated. Many years later and this promise has still not been addressed.
Bullying costs the Australian economy up to $36 billion each year. It costs the Australian Education department approximately $2.3 billion annually. This does not include the psychological and physical damage to the victims.
Excerpt
It was while I was at the Licensing Gaming and Vice Squad that I had my opportunity to apply for a permanent position at the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB). Members could apply for the CIB after five years in the police force. The process involved doing an exam, getting references and sitting a selection panel. As I had been performing temporary duties at the CIB since I joined the police force I knew I would have a very good chance of securing a position. As was the usual I knew they would ask the Senior Sergeant at the Licensing Gaming and Vice Squad for a reference.
One morning the Senior Sergeant asked me to drive him up to Russell Street and so while we were alone I asked him if he would provide a reference for me. He replied with ‘if you want me to give you a good reference then I expect you to be on my desk naked when we return to the office’. I was dumbfounded. I knew from the look on his face that he was not joking. As we entered the building I walked straight to one of my Inspectors from the Independent Patrol Group. My whole body was shaking. I felt like I was totally unaware of where I was or who I was. Is this what I had to do to matter in the Police Force? I knew it was a ‘man’s job’ but I wanted to make a difference. Did I need to have sex with a man I disliked to get anywhere? He could see that something was wrong and took me away while the Senior Sergeant went off to do whatever he had gone there for. After a lot of persuasion, I eventually told him the conversation that I had just had. He told me not to worry about it. He would fix it. I don’t know what shocked me more; What had just happened to me or that when I told him he did not seem to be surprised at all. I don’t know what he said to the Senior Sergeant but nothing was ever mentioned about the conversation again.
Upon my return to the Licensing Gaming and Vice office I decided that I would have to ask my immediate supervisor – a Sergeant – to supply the reference as I didn’t like my chances of a favorable report from the Senior Sergeant.
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Reviews for "To Hell and Back - A Policewoman's Story"
Reviewed by Barbara Sallettes
6/27/2018
It looked like it was going to be a very interesting story. Unfortunately, it didn't hold my attention. I would get into a chapter and really didn't want to finish it. The story had great possibilities, but it just somehow didn't come together for me.
Reviewed by Mary Wazelle
1/30/2018
I wanted to believe in the power of this book, a woman sharing her harrowing stories of harassment and abuse at the hands of her colleagues and how she finally found the voice to speak up, but I was wholly unimpressed and felt the book fell flat.
There is a lot of internal police jargon that is not explained to the reader, especially one of US origin, and the story skips over large spans of time. The connection between work and family life if rarely spoken of, and I felt myself falling out of touch with the book as it progressed. It comes across less like a woman speaking out than one who took up the unlikely role of victim and played it until the end.
The story of Ron Hull, paralyzed in a surgical accident back in the dreaded polio epidemic days, was able to overcome most of the stigma and stereotypes and "pass for normal" for 30 years. As Ron's paralysis increased gradually through the next 20
My memories as an immigrant professional woman in Ottawa, Canada 47 years ago. A new life after having survived the liberal war of a new country Bangladesh on December 16, 1971.
