Comments on: a power-trip in uniform http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/ i am a mess in my open-eyed youth. Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:09:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Jack Point http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4688 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 06:48:18 +0000 http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4688 One shitty experience. It looks like minorities of all kinds face the same hassle. women being the biggest minority of all. One shitty experience.

It looks like minorities of all kinds face the same hassle. women being the biggest minority of all.

]]> by: Art Vandalay http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4674 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:21:15 +0000 http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4674 This is bloody outrageous... it really pisses me off when I hear things like this. It's bad enough we still have these arcane laws that prevent women of any age purchasing alcohol, but to then have a so called 'law enforcer' humiliate you by insinuating that you are a prostitue makes my blood boil. I had a similar experience once. I was driving with this girl (about 4-5 years ago) and I got stopped at a routine checkpoint (opposite Bishops). The bastards were looking for a quick buck obviously and gave me the whole spiel about her being a known prostitute and that I was to be hauled off to the police station. The poor girl was in tears and it was an extremely humilating experience for her - by this time other vehicles had been stopped and were embarrassed as well) I was livid and had to pay the fools off to make them let me go - I was all ready to make a complaint through a very connected friend but the girl was actually a prostitute This is bloody outrageous… it really pisses me off when I hear things like this. It’s bad enough we still have these arcane laws that prevent women of any age purchasing alcohol, but to then have a so called ‘law enforcer’ humiliate you by insinuating that you are a prostitue makes my blood boil.

I had a similar experience once. I was driving with this girl (about 4-5 years ago) and I got stopped at a routine checkpoint (opposite Bishops). The bastards were looking for a quick buck obviously and gave me the whole spiel about her being a known prostitute and that I was to be hauled off to the police station. The poor girl was in tears and it was an extremely humilating experience for her - by this time other vehicles had been stopped and were embarrassed as well) I was livid and had to pay the fools off to make them let me go - I was all ready to make a complaint through a very connected friend but the girl was actually a prostitute

]]> by: Anon http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4673 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 08:24:27 +0000 http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4673 Just a clarification. Prostitution is legal in Sri Lanka. Pimping is not. Just a clarification. Prostitution is legal in Sri Lanka. Pimping is not.

]]> by: poojitha http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4672 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 04:41:58 +0000 http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4672 This is a country where a person like Mervin Silva could be a miniser...what else you can expect This is a country where a person like Mervin Silva could be a miniser…what else you can expect

]]> by: T http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4671 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:44:49 +0000 http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4671 we had the EXACT same experience one time, on Galle Road. the difference being that we had one guy with us, among 5 girls, and it was blatantly suggested that he was our 'pimp'. it would have been hilarious had we not been scared shitless. if you know me, and you do lol, you'd know that i wasnt about to keep my mouth shut about this type of behavior, but as luck would have it i was a wee bit tipsy and was forced to shut up by my friends. now that i think about it, that was probably a good thing. he asked the most insulting questions and we were splitting mad, but what to do. a name was dropped here and there and finally he let us off. my thoughts on it are the same as yours: if the people who are supposed to protect us are the ones we fear the most, what else is there left to say? we had the EXACT same experience one time, on Galle Road. the difference being that we had one guy with us, among 5 girls, and it was blatantly suggested that he was our ‘pimp’. it would have been hilarious had we not been scared shitless. if you know me, and you do lol, you’d know that i wasnt about to keep my mouth shut about this type of behavior, but as luck would have it i was a wee bit tipsy and was forced to shut up by my friends. now that i think about it, that was probably a good thing. he asked the most insulting questions and we were splitting mad, but what to do. a name was dropped here and there and finally he let us off. my thoughts on it are the same as yours: if the people who are supposed to protect us are the ones we fear the most, what else is there left to say?

]]> by: Ravana http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4670 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:06:57 +0000 http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4670 I know it may be very very different for girls, and it may not work with every cop, but I have developed this way with cops after much trial and error. Acting confident, friendly, chatty, respectful, but still a little superior works a charm for me. I know it's old, and at the risk of sounding like a complete ass, have you tried dropping a name, title, designation or location into the conversation as casually as possible, even if it is just among yourselves and even if it's just a bluff? It may work, but you've got to be chatty. Having said that, I'm never around to see this lecherous side of Sri Lankan men, let alone cops, so what do I know, right?. I have to hear about it from my female friends. Men never act like this when the girls have got another man around. I know it may be very very different for girls, and it may not work with every cop, but I have developed this way with cops after much trial and error. Acting confident, friendly, chatty, respectful, but still a little superior works a charm for me.

I know it’s old, and at the risk of sounding like a complete ass, have you tried dropping a name, title, designation or location into the conversation as casually as possible, even if it is just among yourselves and even if it’s just a bluff? It may work, but you’ve got to be chatty.

Having said that, I’m never around to see this lecherous side of Sri Lankan men, let alone cops, so what do I know, right?. I have to hear about it from my female friends. Men never act like this when the girls have got another man around.

]]> by: cerno http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4669 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:48:01 +0000 http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4669 Sounds like the kind of scenario I fret about when Mrs C gets late coming home. One thing she told me was that male Police constables are not allowed to search or make women get out of vehicles without a female constable present. But then the guy who hassled you was clearly not a stickler for rules :| There is an <a href="http://www.police.lk/complain/index.asp" title="link to police.lk site" rel="nofollow">online form</a> that can be used to report complaints. Under the "Subject" line there's a drop down menu which has "Complaint against police". Granted at a gut level my "Sri Lankan" instincts (Vut tu du kno? being third verld and all) make it hard to believe that an online complaint will get registered any where. But if you did remembered his serial number and if that fact rattled him, then there might be a hope of a working disciplinary process. Ok so I'm assuming a lot. Of course it is your call :) The sad fact is my first instinct was to wonder if you had a relative in the police to contact. Or think that complaining might mean more hassle of running around police stations. Then again may be a complaint might trigger a process that might make him think twice. Perhaps another reader of this blog will have better insight on the options than me. Sounds like the kind of scenario I fret about when Mrs C gets late coming home. One thing she told me was that male Police constables are not allowed to search or make women get out of vehicles without a female constable present. But then the guy who hassled you was clearly not a stickler for rules :|

There is an online form that can be used to report complaints. Under the “Subject” line there’s a drop down menu which has “Complaint against police”.

Granted at a gut level my “Sri Lankan” instincts (Vut tu du kno? being third verld and all) make it hard to believe that an online complaint will get registered any where. But if you did remembered his serial number and if that fact rattled him, then there might be a hope of a working disciplinary process. Ok so I’m assuming a lot.

Of course it is your call :)

The sad fact is my first instinct was to wonder if you had a relative in the police to contact. Or think that complaining might mean more hassle of running around police stations. Then again may be a complaint might trigger a process that might make him think twice.

Perhaps another reader of this blog will have better insight on the options than me.

]]> by: star http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4668 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:40:13 +0000 http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4668 these fears are rational. it is well known the reputation of the police here. this is just a mere incident. these fears are rational. it is well known the reputation of the police here. this is just a mere incident.

]]> by: me http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4667 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:37:52 +0000 http://electra.blogsome.com/2008/01/03/a-power-trip-in-uniform/#comment-4667 Sad times.. somertimes this country really sucks :( Sad times.. somertimes this country really sucks :(

]]>