Here’s why women police officers and other servicewomen are vulnerable to moral injury

Abstract

<p>An ABC investigation into the NSW Police Force has found a toxic culture where women are subjected to sexism and intimidation. If they complain, they get tangled in a boys' club that uses fear and retaliation to silence victims. On top of the stresses of the job where they are dealing every day with violence, crime, and things they can't 'unsee', these women are particularly vulnerable to sustaining a moral injury due to this vindictive system. Moral injury is a deep wounding of the soul. It is the social, psychological, and spiritual response when something or someone goes beyond the limits of an individual's deeply held values and beliefs. First responders and Defence members are frequently exposed to trauma. As such, they are more likely to have a moral injury than the general population.</p>