RIYADH, 16 March 2007 — As part of the Kingdom’s Saudization process, in a growing trend Saudi women are challenging social stigma and taboos by increasingly taking up jobs as security guards at shopping malls, universities and banks.

There is a perception among people in the Kingdom and abroad that working as security guards is a demanding male-dominated profession. Many people feel that the job is unsafe, dangerous and tough and, therefore, women are unwelcome. However, like many other job sectors in the Kingdom, there is a huge number of Saudi women comfortably working as security guards.

A couple of Saudi security women spoke recently to Sayidaty, a sister publication of Arab News, about their experiences and the challenges they face at work.

“I always wanted to be a police officer ever since I was a young girl,” said Hafsa Abdul Kareem, who supervises 50 women security guards in Riyadh. “This is probably the next best thing,” she added.

Laila Al-Hazai, also a security guard supervisor, said she became a security guard after seeing her elder sister become one. “It was she who encouraged me to become a security guard,” she said.

Awatif Al-Musa said she was attracted to the job after becoming impressed by some women security guards. “I used to see women security guards and thought it was a job I could also do. So then I signed up myself,” she said.

Some women were attracted to becoming security guards in order to make money. “I was financially in need of the money and that is why I took up this job. As soon as I started working I realized what an important role I was playing in society,” said Awatif Al-Dossary.

Another security officer, Farida Al-Abdullah, said she got bored when she graduated from high school. “I was looking for a job and then ended up getting a dream job as a security guard. I think it is a brilliant line of work,” she said.

Hafsa Abdul Kareem said female security guards do get trained before beginning work. “At work we carry out the necessary investigations, we use equipment and sometimes we end up having to look into bags. It all depends on the area in which a person is working. We observe and monitor everything and everyone: employers, customers, visitors,” she said.

Awatif Al-Musa added that women security guards can be found almost everywhere now including schools, universities, banks, malls, and in places where people gather.

Maha Al-Hazai agreed. “Sometimes, security guards wear plain clothing and intermingle with customers,” she said.

Speaking about whether the job is a masculine one, Laila Al-Hazai said that although the job requires a person to be tough and strong, it still does not affect the feminine aspect of a woman’s personality. “My lifestyle has changed since I became a security guard. Everything is now organized, and everything I do has a set time, including sitting with my family, visiting relatives and friends, and going to sleep,” she said.

Al-Dossary said that she regrets not being able to see her family as often as she would like. “I don’t get to see them that often because of the hours that I work and the fact that I work rotating shifts. I suppose this is a drawback but I enjoy the work,” she said.

So have any of the women experienced hostility from their families? Farida Al-Abdullah says her family respects her and appreciates the type of work she carries out. “They now miss me because I work long hours. I do miss sitting and chatting with them,” she said.

Al-Dossary added, “Some people are against these type of jobs because of the long hours and the dangers a person can potentially face. However, my family members encourage me and push me further,” she said.

Abdul Kareem added that her family respects her because she is employed. “I am working and earning a wage. My family respects me for that. On top of that I’m serving my country and contributing to society. They are proud of me. Some people do look down on such jobs. At the same time, there are many who support me. Our managers provide us with both psychological and financial support and this is a great source of motivation for us.”

Commenting on the dangers relating to her job, Al-Abdullah said she is always conscious that people may be carrying sharp tools and other items that could be used to physically hurt her. “That is always on my mind especially when I’m apprehending criminals,” she said.

Asked how they deal with such cases, Abdul Kareem said she tries to remain as calm as possible and thinks things through before taking any action. “I always endeavor not to make rash decisions. I go to the location where a problem has been reported and try contacting other security guards to help me,” she said.

“Most of the cases relate to theft, begging and fighting. I once saw a woman putting some accessories into her pocket. I followed her along with a colleague and then we saw her collaborating with another woman who was standing outside the shop observing the area. We contacted the men’s section and the two women were arrested,” she said.

Al-Dossary narrated a story concerning cell phones that she says she will never forget. “Cellphones are not allowed into female-only malls. Therefore, we’re told to keep customers’ phones in boxes and give them a card number so that they can collect them on their way out. Once a customer handed her phone and on her way out came and gave us a sob story that she had lost her card and needed her phone back,” said Al-Dossary, who handed the woman her phone after obtaining authorization from the mall’s administration department.

“Later on another woman, who worked at a shop in the mall, came with the card and asked for the phone. It transpired that the customer had bought some goods in exchange for the card. The store worker was punished for breaking mall rules by carrying out such a transaction,” she said.

Al-Musa told the story of a woman who stole a shopping bag from a customer and then went into one public toilet. “I went into the bathroom and saw her changing the bag and changing her abaya. I arrested her then and there.”

Abdul Kareem said once she arrested two women who were walking in a suspicious way. “After observing them I found out that they were robbing customers. Whenever a case gets complicated we transfer it to the main security office,” she said.

Asked how they recognize women, especially since the majority of them are veiled. Al-Hazai said: “We recognize them from the way they look and walk, their height and their eyes. Over time you get to differentiate between ordinary customers and suspicious individuals. It is easy.

“Sometimes we may end up arresting the wrong woman. In such cases we just apologize and explain to them the situation. Thank God this doesn’t happen often.”

Speaking about working with men security guards, one security woman said: “Security men cooperate with us. In general, security women have proved themselves in different ways. Although our job is tough and challenging it is also very enjoyable. Our love and compassion for the job helps us in overcoming all potential obstacles. Even when I’m not working and visiting a shopping mall, I’ll go out of my way to inform on suspicious people,” said one female security guard.

Another security officer said: “I would like the world to see that Saudi women security guards are able to face and cope with the most dangerous and challenging of tasks. They are able and very successful.”

Muna Al-Janubi, manager of a women security guard company in Jeddah, said that the idea of having women guards began in 1990. “It started with a few women. Now in Riyadh there are 50 women security guards. These are apart from the ones in Qassim and the Eastern Province,” she said.

“We aren’t very strict when it comes to employing people without qualifications. We’re very sympathetic with those people who apply. In the end they get to know the job by hands-on practical work. However, we do prefer educated employees. They have to be healthy and fit for the job and must be between the ages of 20 and 35,” she said, adding, “We offer training courses in which we teach them how to deal with people.”