Post by snacky on Sept 6, 2015 6:56:17 GMT
I found out today while researching something else that Toronto had at least one "matron" as part of its constabulary from the early 1890s.
Matrons were the early version of police women. They started to be converted to police women around 1910 in the US, and their roles expanded during World War I as the employment of women increased in general.
The Matrons were pushed by the women in the Temperance movement. These mostly middle and upper class women began to take notice of conditions in jails because of the suffrage movement - since a lot of women were thrown into jail during protests. They were especially concerned by women being mishandled or even abused by male police. They felt that decency required that female prisoners be supervised by women.
Another factor was the rise of the idea of social work and "social hygiene". There was some sentiment that women could perform "social hygiene" roles better than men. Matrons could sensitively look into cases of domestic abuse and other "hidden" problems. Civic leaders also argued that women would be better in regard to handling child offenders. (While police chiefs might be amenable to matrons, most police officers opposed the presence of women. This was a period of police strikes, and there was worry about lower paid matrons taking male salaries as well as the fear of trouble when "rough" men encountered women in their space - danger of flirting, etc.)
Also as women increasingly went to work in the industrialized cities, they were outdoors in mixed crowds more often. Women who worked out in the world also partook in recreational activities - dancing, cabarets, vaudeville, the early movies, etc. This increased the likelihood of female victims as well as female criminals. Matrons, who were paid less than male police officers, were assigned to handle female victims. There was also a raised awareness of traffic in women and "white slavery".
The famous journalist Nelly Bly not only exposed terrible conditions in mental asylums: she also exposed the mistreatment of female prisoners by male police officers. Her articles (in the 1890s?) are credited with shaping public opinion toward acceptance of Matrons and fueling a call for more general police women.
There were some interesting side notes on female uniforms and equipment. The original theory of the uniform was a split skirt (so police women could ride). Later women wore a skirt over pants and boots. The skirt got shorter after WWI. Some women got riding crops instead of billy clubs. Some women were taught "jujitsu": perhaps exposure to Asians taught the police that a person didn't have to be physically big to effectively defend themselves.
If it doesn't count as a demotion, perhaps Julia will become a Matron in Season 9...?
Matrons were the early version of police women. They started to be converted to police women around 1910 in the US, and their roles expanded during World War I as the employment of women increased in general.
The Matrons were pushed by the women in the Temperance movement. These mostly middle and upper class women began to take notice of conditions in jails because of the suffrage movement - since a lot of women were thrown into jail during protests. They were especially concerned by women being mishandled or even abused by male police. They felt that decency required that female prisoners be supervised by women.
Another factor was the rise of the idea of social work and "social hygiene". There was some sentiment that women could perform "social hygiene" roles better than men. Matrons could sensitively look into cases of domestic abuse and other "hidden" problems. Civic leaders also argued that women would be better in regard to handling child offenders. (While police chiefs might be amenable to matrons, most police officers opposed the presence of women. This was a period of police strikes, and there was worry about lower paid matrons taking male salaries as well as the fear of trouble when "rough" men encountered women in their space - danger of flirting, etc.)
Also as women increasingly went to work in the industrialized cities, they were outdoors in mixed crowds more often. Women who worked out in the world also partook in recreational activities - dancing, cabarets, vaudeville, the early movies, etc. This increased the likelihood of female victims as well as female criminals. Matrons, who were paid less than male police officers, were assigned to handle female victims. There was also a raised awareness of traffic in women and "white slavery".
The famous journalist Nelly Bly not only exposed terrible conditions in mental asylums: she also exposed the mistreatment of female prisoners by male police officers. Her articles (in the 1890s?) are credited with shaping public opinion toward acceptance of Matrons and fueling a call for more general police women.
There were some interesting side notes on female uniforms and equipment. The original theory of the uniform was a split skirt (so police women could ride). Later women wore a skirt over pants and boots. The skirt got shorter after WWI. Some women got riding crops instead of billy clubs. Some women were taught "jujitsu": perhaps exposure to Asians taught the police that a person didn't have to be physically big to effectively defend themselves.
If it doesn't count as a demotion, perhaps Julia will become a Matron in Season 9...?
