Problems faced by female private security guards in the field and proposed solutions; The Western Mediterranean sample

The responsibilities assigned to women and men, based on the cultural structure, traditions, customs, and religious beliefs of societies, determine the gender roles within those societies. In some societies, these roles remain abstract and flexible, while in others they are shaped by a more rigid and biologically based understanding. When examining the participation of women in working life throughout history— including the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze (Sumerian Period), Middle, New, Modern, and Digital Ages—it becomes evident that, with few exceptions for women of certain status or influence, women have mostly been positioned as secondary or reserve labor. Their participation in social activities, access to education, and presence in high-level positions have often been restricted. This study investigates the issues women face in working life, such as gender discrimination, inequality in access to education and vocational training, inequality in employment opportunities, the glass ceiling syndrome, the glass cliff, the glass wall, sexual harassment, psychological harassment (mobbing), inequality in accessing social rights, informal employment, and wage discrimination. These metaphors and factors are analyzed in relation to the problems experienced by female private security officers, and solutions are proposed. In this context, a holistic multiple case qualitative descriptive study based on hermeneutic interest in knowledge construction and interpretivist research paradigms was conducted with a total of 30 female private security officers—10 each from Antalya, Burdur, and Isparta. Based on the findings obtained through this study, solution proposals were presented under the titles of recommendations for researchers and recommendations for practitioners.