Empowering justice: female police officers’ perspectives on advocating for female victims in South Korea

We conducted qualitative research in South Korea by interviewing female police officers to gain insight into the processes of female representation. The findings show that female officers generally accept representative roles for female victims. Still, such determination can manifest through various behaviours, which may not always translate into tangible law enforcement outcomes. Additionally, the male-dominant culture in police organizations may not directly affect female officers' advocacy but may reduce their work morale, indirectly impacting their advocacy behaviour. We emphasize that the concept of active representation is not fixed, and various contextual factors can influence it.