BREAKING BARRIERS: EXPLORING THE CHALLENGES AND

MOTIVATIONS OF WOMEN IN THE CRIMINOLOGY PROGRAM OF A

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

A Thesis Presented to
The Faculty of the School of Criminology
EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE MANILA, PHILIPPINES

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

Submitted By:
AGUINALDO, ANGELIKA M.
BUMANLAG, MIKAELA KAYLA F.
DRAPEZA, JOHN DENVER O.
NOFIES, MARIEL M.
PADILLA, MARHK YRONNE

Submitted To:
Desire Garcia-Estrada, JD, Ph.D., CJ

December 6, 2024
Introduction

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) refer to institutions that offer higher

degree programs with classified groups of students striving to pursue distinct

areas of education in colleges. (UNESCO, 2022). The Department of Criminology

in a Private Higher Education Institution (PHEI) in Metro Manila aims to produce

professionally competent and morally responsible graduates who can be

stewards of effective services in the various areas of criminology: including crime

prevention; law enforcement; criminal and juvenile justice administration; crime

detection and investigation; application of forensic sciences to law enforcement

and crime detection; psychology of crime and prevention; probation, parole and

correctional administration (Emilio Aguinaldo College, 2022).

In the study by Nayoyos-Refugia et al. (2024), there is a significant

disparity in the distribution of genders in criminology professions in the

Philippines, suggesting that criminology remains a male-dominated field. Despite

calls for inclusivity and diversity, little to no noticeable effort has been observed

toward addressing the cause (Nayoyos-Refugia et al., 2024). Villegas et al.

(2022) also stated that there is an underrepresentation of women and an

under-emphasis on gender equality in the discipline of criminology, indicating a

pertinent controversy of male dominance. Moreover, male dominance in the

program was substantiated by a representative sample of 660 criminology

professionals produced by Davao Oriental State University in 2018, of which

more than 60% were males (Villegas et al., 2022). In terms of college admissions
in comparison to graduation, however, females were found to garner a higher

mean survival rate than males in the program, denoting that females were more

likely to graduate than males.

Existing literature claims that factors contributing to these gender

distribution gaps in the discipline of criminology may be attributed to traditional

gender roles (Villegas et al., 2022; Nayoyos-Refugia et al., 2024). This suggests

that women may be more likely to succeed in programs related to healthcare,

wherein 70% of practitioners and graduates are female and 30% are male

(Eddison and Leslie, 2022).

Existing research about women in criminology provides ample substantial

insights into the perennial contention of male dominance in the field. Yet,

literature is to discover and discuss women's lived experiences in criminology

college programs in the Philippines. The primary objective of this study is to

understand the motivations behind the pursuit of college degree programs in the

criminology of women and the challenges women experience as a minority in a

predominantly male-dominated field.

This study aims to shed light on women's lived experiences in criminology

education programs in HEIs in the Philippines. By understanding the motivations

and challenges women face in pursuing the field, this paper seeks to contribute

to the ongoing discussions of gender equality and representation. Efforts to

promote inclusivity and create a more equitable educational environment for

women in criminology are also signified.

Review of Related Literature

Criminology Programs in Philippine Colleges

The Bachelor of Science in Criminology is a degree program available at

specific Local Colleges and Universities (LCUs) throughout the Philippines. In the

National Capital Region (NCR), there are six LCUs offering this program. Its

primary goal is to deliver quality education, particularly to students from

underprivileged backgrounds, equipping them with the knowledge and skills

necessary for careers in law enforcement and public safety. By providing these

students with opportunities to become licensed criminologists, the program helps

them pursue roles in maintaining public order, ensuring community safety, and

contributing to national development (Cruz et al., 2024).

The Bachelor of Science in Criminology curriculum teaches individuals the

necessary information and abilities to prevent crimes and successfully manage

criminal situations (Camal, 2023). A study of Santos and Gomez (2019) as cited

by Camal (2023), emphasized that in order to prepare students for real-world

situations, they needed to receive practical training and have hands-on field

experiences during their schooling. These experiences will improve their capacity

to handle crimes, manage emergencies, and put crime prevention measures into

action, among other criminal circumstances.

According to the study of Cruz et al. (2024), despite the efforts in improving

the criminology program through their performance on licensing exams, their

study assessed the quality of instruction in criminology programs at Metro

Manila's Local Colleges and Universities (LCUs). A low degree of execution was

indicated by the total mean score of 2.08. With a mean of 1.74, the majority of

indicators, including "Top 10 schools in the licensure exam," were poorly

implemented. The only two that have regularly performed well but have not

attained top-tier rankings are UDM and PLMar. These results underline the need

for program improvement across institutions and raise the possibility that the

majority of LCUs are not sufficiently preparing students for licensing tests.

Further, a study conducted by Camal (2023), exploring the impact of the

BS Criminology Program on Crime Prevention Strategies in Basilan Province.

The findings indicate the necessity of applying the knowledge and abilities

acquired in the BS Criminology program to real-world settings. It emphasized the

importance of field training and internships, which enabled them to apply

academic knowledge in real-world crime prevention settings. However, several

participants believed that the curriculum should incorporate more practical

experiences and hands-on activities to better equip graduates to deal with a wide

range of challenging scenarios in the workplace.

According to Trebilcock and Griffiths (2021), the majority of students stated

that they were motivated to study criminology because they found the subject

interesting. However, many found it difficult to determine the particular reason of

their interest, often claiming that criminology was simply suitable and fascinating

to them. Through the process of sharing personal narratives, students frequently

discovered that it was simple to draw connections between their early

experiences and the desire to pursue a degree in criminology. Stories about

discovering new interests, embracing one's own identity, and information about

working for social justice and helping people in need appeared as the three key

themes that were established from the said study among the participants. Most

importantly, students' accounts included aspects of their contact with crime,

whether it be through actual participation in criminal activities, witnessing or

reporting on crime in the media, or reading about or watching fictional crime

stories.

Challenges and Motivations of Women in Pursuing their Careers

A study by Aquino et al. (2023) explored how gender roles and

stereotypes, reinforced by low career expectations from parents and society,

shape women's achievement motivation. These social factors discourage women

from pursuing and advancing in STEM careers, further limiting their opportunities

for success.

The study identified three common stereotypes that women in STEM face:

being perceived as "bitchy," lacking credibility, and being judged on their

appearance, particularly when they are assertive in their work. These views align

with previous research, which found that women are often seen as less credible

than men and are expected to be warm and nurturing. When women fail to meet

these expectations, they are judged more harshly (Aquino et al., 2023).
 In the perspective of entrepreneurship, women are also underrepresented

compared to men, and they encounter barriers like limited access to financing, as

they are often seen as secondary income earners (Gutierrez, 2024). Likewise,

Women in the seafaring industry often face various stereotypes, including the

belief that they should not be on board. Some are even advised to leave their

careers and pursue onshore jobs. Male seafarers frequently emphasize the

negative aspects of the profession, attempting to create a stressful environment

to make women feel that they do not belong at sea. However, according to

Gutierrez (2024), there are women who have proven these stereotypes wrong by

succeeding in their maritime careers. One such example is the woman who

became the first female commander appointed by the Malaysian Maritime

Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in 2018, taking charge of the MMEA's KM Nyalau

ship.

On the other hand, for women in the military, choosing a career over

starting a family can be a challenging decision due to the conflict between

military duties and motherhood. However, there is a growing recognition of the

need for more women in senior roles, underscoring the importance of providing

opportunities for women to continue their careers after having children (Van,

2023). Many women are attracted to military service because it offers equal pay,

the chance to travel, and experiences they may not have had in other careers

(Van, 2023).
 According to Van (2023), female military officers who became mothers

faced several challenges, leading some to leave the military. Pregnancy and

caregiving responsibilities, particularly for single or divorced mothers, were

significant factors contributing to higher attrition rates. These women often faced

difficulties finding childcare at short notice and dealing with the financial burden

of extended hours or holiday shifts.

Empowerment should be understood in a broader context beyond financial

and economic aspects. It is essential to recognize women's ability to influence

their own lives and communities. Without empowering women, sustainable

tourism development is not achievable. This highlights that women’s

empowerment is key for their meaningful contribution to community development,

not just their participation (Gutierrez, 2024).

Women in Law Enforcement

Gender roles can affect how individuals are recognized and function in

their professional capacities, as suggested by the Social Role Theory (Pensotes

Jr. et al., 2024), and amid overcoming gender-based skepticism, female officers

encounter the dual challenge of adapting to operational demands emphasized in

the literature on women in law enforcement.

According to Pensotes Jr. et al. (2024), female officers often had to adjust

their plans to conquer the operational challenges and gender biases women

officers encountered in policing. Overall operational efficiency has been observed

in women who overcome these challenges as they are exposed to fresh views

and methods of innovation in their roles. Women have proved to offer significant

contributions to leadership in law enforcement, emphasizing that their inclusion

and collaboration often lead to optimal outcomes. This is attributed to the fact

that women’s leadership in the field marks diversity and empowers cultural shift

in a predominantly male-dominated work environment. The empowerment that

women leaders bring to the field affects not only their environment but also

extends to society as a motivation for future female leaders.

However, the representation of women in law enforcement and the

proportion of women in the field compared to that of the men remain a pertinent

concern.

Progrebin et al. (2000), as cited by Todak et al. (2022), stated that women

have historically struggled to obtain deployments in specialty units. The first ever

female state police officer was hired in 1972. In 2016, there were 60,000 full-time

officers in 49 state law enforcement agencies, with women comprising only 6.6%

of all state officers. Yu and Viswanath (2022) established that women will be

more inclined to use the opportunities to actively represent women's interests

seeing that women police officers are accorded more opportunities to influence

arrest decisions in domestic violence calls. Between 2000 and 2016, the

percentage of women in state law enforcement has remained static. Some state

law enforcement agencies have less than 10% or have no women officers (Yu

and Viswanath, 2022).

 The impact on women’s selection appointments is often discretionary for

individual prejudices, given that gender discrimination in policing can be

disappointing to women officers. SWAT culture and the physical and logistical job

requirements disproportionately exclude women, therefore they claim that

women are rare on SWAT teams. Dodge et al. (2010), as cited by Todak et al.

(2022), claimed that SWAT teams threaten the exclusivity, camaraderie, and

culture of the unit in the presence of women in their team. On the other hand,

women in SWAT teams have unique skills that can contribute to the

accomplishment of the unit. When women motor officers rode out in their

communities, 12% of them said they gained positive attention from the citizens.

Promoting gender representation in specialized units to influence other women in

the community benefits the team. Resistance from team members took the form

of an additional tryout process, where women had to demonstrate competence to

gain respect. This is particularly problematic in agencies where women are

significantly underrepresented, not highly regarded, or perceived as unfit for elite

units. The “old school mentality” was the most common perspective among older

officers.

Female police officers' effectiveness, credibility, and fairness positively

affect people. In contrast with male police officers, female police officers also

have the skills to be brave and compassionate towards their jobs (Blanco et al.,

2023). Female police officers reported not facing any difficulties handling job

stress despite stating that stress is in the nature of their jobs. They also implied
that they can easily adapt to different people and circumstances. Nevertheless,

some female police officers admitted to struggling to move to different units.

Female police officers are classified as altruistic as they prioritize the well-being

of others over their own safety and personal desires. The ability to fulfill their duty

as female police officers satisfies and motivates them. Some female police

officers spend most of their time on their duty and still manage on-call duties,

especially concerns about women. Most female police officers implied that one of

their motivations is their families, to support their family’s basic needs. Being in a

male-dominated job, this was difficult for female police officers to deal with more

physical and risky work.

Prokos and Padavic (2002), as cited by Todak et al. (2022), described that

women were seen as troublemakers or disrupters of the status quo, so they were

forced to accept the abuse they received. The negative effects of tokenism and

the cultural resistance from men toward women making significant

advancements were also apparent. Todak et al. (2022) discovered that they

sometimes felt uncomfortable receiving negative comments, highlighting the

implications of negative comments female police officers receive from the public

despite their dedication to serving others. While they acknowledge that such

challenges are inherent to their profession and are trained to manage them, it

does not deny the emotional toll these experiences can have. Additionally, the

demanding nature of their work often disrupts time for family and personal

matters, further affecting their well-being.

Research Objectives

Women in the criminology program encounter various gender-related

biases. Thus, this study aims to analyze these challenges and motivations and

determine how women value their experiences in the criminology program.

The primary objectives are:

● Understand the underlying meanings and the essence of being a

woman in the criminology program.

● To gather a deeper understanding of women’s life paths relative to

their college degree program

● To comprehend how women conquer challenges in a

male-dominated degree program.

● To uncover the influences of societal perceptions and traditional

gender roles on women's success in the criminology program

● To contribute to developing strategies that promote gender equity

and inclusivity within the criminology program.

Theoretical Framework

The concept of tokenism, developed by sociologist Rosabeth Kanter, refers

to the practice of creating a false impression of diversity and inclusion by placing

a small number of individuals from minority groups—such as women, racial

minorities, or those from different religions or age groups—in visible or influential

positions. These individuals are often chosen because of their characteristics,

which are viewed as different from or disadvantaged compared to the dominant

group (B.J., 2017). Tokenism is the act of involving individuals from

underrepresented groups to create the appearance of racial or gender equality in

a workplace or educational setting. The goal of this theory is to demonstrate the

impression of social inclusivity and diversity.

Fiveable Inc. (2024) believed that tokenism happens when organizations

or institutions take shallow or insincere actions to include individuals from

underrepresented groups to solely give the impression of being diverse or fair. To

fulfill diversity, they hire and promote individuals from underrepresented groups,

such as women to be specific not because of their skill and qualification but to

give the impression of fairness among women simply. This means their presence

is used to create the appearance of diversity simply. Tokenism helps to explain

the difficulties that women experience in male-dominated fields, which relates to

our study that focused on the challenges of women in pursuing a

male-dominated field. It implies that women frequently suffer because they are

outnumbered and treated as "tokens" rather than complete members of the

group.

Significance of the Study

This research explores women's experiences in a criminology program at a

higher education institution. It will focus on understanding their challenges and

the motivations that inspire them to pursue this field. By delving into their life
experiences, the study seeks to uncover what drives them to persist despite their

barriers and difficulties. This understanding could contribute to reducing

stereotypes and discrimination against women in criminology programs. It is

significant to the following:

The Government. This study is significant to the government as it

highlights their role in promoting gender equality and combating

discrimination against women in criminology programs. With the insights from

this research, the government can take meaningful action by creating and

implementing campaigns and programs that support women in overcoming

challenges.

The Criminology Students. This study is significant to criminology

students as the challenges they experience and their motivations are valuable to

identify specific needs that would enhance their careers. This study can empower

criminology students to advocate for gender equality within their community.

The Future Researchers. Future researchers are significant to the study

of the challenges and motivations of women in criminology programs because

they can build on the findings to deepen understanding, expand knowledge, and

address gaps in the research. Their work can ensure that the conversation

continues, leading to more informed and impactful changes in education and

professional environments.
Scope and Delimitations

This study will focus on the barriers and incentives that women face in the

Criminology Program at a Higher Education Institution. It aims to explore the

internal and external factors such as gender-related discrimination and

stereotypes. The participants are women of different ages and levels in a Higher

Education Institution to ensure that the data collection is comprehensive and

saturated within a specific environment. Through interviews, the researchers

hope to shed light on women's challenges and find ways to create a more

supportive and equitable environment for them in the criminology program.

However, this study will focus only on those currently enrolled in or an alumna of

the Criminology Program in a Higher Education Institution in Manila, and its

applicability to women in criminology programs in other areas of the Philippines

may be explored further by succeeding research.

Definition of Terms

Women refers to assigned females at birth who are currently taking or

have taken the criminology course in a higher education institution.

The Criminology Program is a traditionally male-dominated academic

program in higher education institutions. Several women are currently enrolling in

and pursuing this field of study.

 Challenges refer to the various obstacles and difficulties women

encounter in the criminology program, which may include gender-based

discrimination and societal stereotypes.

Motivations are the driving factors that encourage women to pursue and

continue the criminology program.

Higher Education Institution refers to a college or university recognized

by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) that offers academic programs,

such as the criminology program.

Data Gathering Procedure

Necessary data will be gathered through the use of semi-structured

interviews. Prior to the interviews, participants will receive an informed consent

form explaining the purpose of the research, confidentiality measures, and the

voluntary nature of their participation. The researchers will reassure participants

that their identities and responses will remain confidential. Open-ended questions

will be used to encourage participants to freely share their experiences.

The interviews will be conducted either in person or via an online platform

at a time that is convenient for the participants. A total of 10 participants will be

randomly selected to participate in the interview, which aims to explore their

challenges and motivations within the criminology program. The interviews are

anticipated to last between 30 minutes to 60 minutes. The interviews will

continue until data saturation is reached, meaning no new insights or themes

emerge. At the end of each interview, participants will be asked if they have any

additional comments or thoughts. With the participant's consent, the interviews

will be recorded, transcribed, and converted into Google Docs for analysis.

Research Design

This study will employ a phenomenological research design to explore the

challenges and motivations from the perspective of women in the criminology

program of a higher education institution. Phenomenology is a qualitative

research method that refers to the reflexive study of lived experience as the

individual experiences it (Sage Publications, 2021). It seeks to make meaning of

these experiences and derive patterns of thoughts that emerge, ultimately

uncovering the codes and themes across data provided by participants. This will

be achieved through in-depth interviews, allowing the researcher to identify the

underlying structures and patterns of the participants' lived experiences while

also recognizing individual differences from a qualitative standpoint.

Research Instrument

This study will integrate semi-structured interviews to gather data from the

samples. Semi-structured interviews will allow the researchers to pose questions

to elicit verbal responses from the participants in a predetermined location at a

predetermined time (Columbia University, 2023). These questions will be

validated by a subject matter expert (SME) to ensure a systematic process of

gathering data. A semi-structured interview will allow the probing of questions

should the researchers deem necessary to expound on certain answers and

further deepen the understanding between the researchers and the participants

while allowing the participants to respond more naturally and comfortably. Data

gathered from the participants will be exclusive and accessible only to the

researchers, the course professor, and the research adviser.

Ethical Consideration

I. Purpose of the Study

The researchers aim to understand the experiences of women in

criminology programs. The researchers want to learn about these women's

challenges, such as discrimination and stereotypes. The study also seeks to

explore how such experiences of discrimination affect their motivation,

confidence, and overall journey in the program. By examining these issues, the

researchers hope to shed light on women's barriers and find ways to create a

more supportive and equitable environment for them in the criminology program.

II. Participant

An individual who is at least 18 years of age who is currently enrolled in or

an alumna of the Criminology Program in a Higher Education Institution.

III. Role of the Participant

The researchers will conduct a semi-structured interview with each

participant who agrees to participate in the study. These interviews will take place

in a coworking space located near the participant, ensuring a convenient and

comfortable setting. The semi-structured format allows the researchers to ask

prepared questions while allowing the participants to share their experiences and

insights in more detail.

IV. Compensation

The participant will not be financially provided throughout the interview as

participation is voluntary. However, the researchers will offer tokens of

appreciation as a small act of compensation.

V. Confidentiality

Information shared within the context of the therapeutic process will be

treated with confidentiality, as well as the information gathered and reported in

the therapy manual. The information sharing imparted by the participant will be

under ethical guidelines and the Data Privacy Act of 2012. Any written

information of and from the participant will be kept secured in one location.

Should the researchers be required to obtain an audio recording of the interview

sessions, only the researchers can access the data as it will not be uploaded to

any online storage system. The therapy manual will be accessed only by the

researchers mentioned in this informed consent and the course professor

facilitating this activity.

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