Actitudes e intervención policial ante la violencia contra la mujer en Chile. Sexismo y empatía.

The perception of seriousness that society, especially the police, has about the violence that men exercise against their female partners, is fundamental not only to prevent this crime, but also to grant adequate protection after the aggression. Attitudes, type of involvement, sexism and empathy were evaluated, comparing the Chilean police (Carabineros specialists and operatives) with people from the general population, through a sample of 1,033 participants from all over the country. The operative Police officers presented greater unconditional involvement, more empathy and a greater perception of seriousness than Chileans in the general population in the face of violence against women. Police officers who care for victims are more involved, are more empathetic, and have less sexism; even so, more frequent and better quality training is required, in addition to selecting the most empathetic to care for victims. The influence of gender and age stands out.