ABSTRACT
Most police wives, whether living in rural or urban areas, had the role of the incorporated wife [1]. The discourse of the incorporated wife shows her being portrayed as in the organisation but not part of it: it was her duty to represent her husband and police values both inside and outside the organisation; in so doing, she was a reflection of the public image of her husband’s occupation and status. The success in her role of supporting her husband was aligned with his chances of promotion, rather than giving her any recognition or reward in her own right – her suitability reflected on him. Conversely, non-conformity in the role affected her husband’s promotion prospects, as Young shows with one wife who refused to abandon her job as a teacher. The restrictions placed on policemen by their job and the discipline expected by the police organisation was said to turn both them and their wives inwards; for the wife, this was towards other police wives. Where police families lived close together, there was an inward-looking self-containment amongst the wives. This reflected their husband’s role as a policeman in which he sought to control and order the society around him and needed social distance so as not to be seen as fallible. Although their role was unstated, police wives were well aware of their place and what was required of them, and particularly what they could and could not do to be acceptable [2].
