Debiasing Law Enforcement Officers: Evidence from an Expressive Arts Intervention in India (Bihar)

Improving police response to gender-based violence in Bihar

Project Introduction

This innovative project addresses gender-based violence (GBV) in Bihar by improving the sensitivity and skills of male law enforcement officers through applied theatre and expressive arts-based interventions. It targets male officers in a highly masculine institutional setting, aiming to shift their attitudes, behaviours, and technical knowledge in handling GBV cases. Alongside its focus on individual officers, the study also examines spillover effects on female colleagues, officers’ spouses, and overall police performance in GBV-related cases across participating stations.

Partners

(2) more partners

Researchers

Project Methodology

Implemented as a clustered randomized controlled trial across hundreds of police stations in districts of Bihar, the project combined immersive and experiential learning tools with behavioural science methods. Training sessions focused on critical reflection on gender norms and biases, enhancing empathy and victim-centric policing, and strengthening technical knowledge of laws related to GBV. The design allows researchers to isolate the intervention’s effects on trained officers while also capturing broader institutional ripple effects within participating police stations.

Impact

The intervention demonstrated measurable improvements in officers’ attitudes towards GBV victims, legal knowledge, and responsiveness, with initial findings indicating a positive shift in workplace environments for junior female officers and enhanced community trust in police stations where the training was implemented. Policy discussions are underway to scale the intervention as part of the Bihar Police Academy’s curriculum, and findings have been shared with senior officials, informing broader conversations on GBV prevention and police reform in India.

Documentation

This project is currently in progress, and will be updated with findings as results arise.

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