To mark International Women’s Day in March, Millie Marshall Loughran, Deputy Editor of Security Journal UK examines how representation of women in the security sector has evolved and how culture ultimately determines who enters, who advances and who feels they belong.
Security sits at the intersection of protection and public trust, safeguarding people, assets and infrastructure.
Yet for much of its history, the profession has been defined by a narrow image, one centred on physical presence, command-and-control authority and a traditionally male workforce.
While the sector has evolved significantly in both scope and sophistication, representation statistics suggest that change, though real, it remains part of an ongoing evolution.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, women comprise approximately 24.9% of the security guard workforce.
In cybersecurity, women account for around 24% of the global workforce, with industry reporting indicating an average pay gap of approximately 5% and nearly half of women citing career progression challenges.
These figures reflect historical pipelines and persistent perception gaps that shape entry and progression within the profession.
Over the past century, reforms from the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 to the Equality Act 2010 have dismantled formal barriers to women’s participation in the workforce.
More recent measures, including gender pay gap reporting and the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, place greater responsibility on employers.
The legal architecture is robust. Yet law alone cannot fully recalibrate culture.
Policy may open the door, but culture determines who feels welcome to walk through it and who is encouraged to stay.
A recurring question arises: How can imbalance persist when diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives exist and when some roles are specifically targeted toward underrepresented groups?
The answer lies not simply in access, but in perception and progression.
Representation is not only about entry; it is about visibility, influence and advancement challenging outdated notions of what women bring to security environments.
Despite strong performance data across sectors, women can be regarded as less competent due to outdated assumptions about their capabilities.
These perceptions are frequently driven by expectations surrounding domestic responsibilities, concerns about flexibility and ingrained cultural stereotypes rather than objective, measurable reality.
Research by Shelley J. Correll, Stephen Benard and In Paik, published in the American Journal of Sociology, found that identical CVs were rated less favourably when they signalled motherhood – a dynamic widely known as the “motherhood penalty.”
At the same time, internal barriers can compound external ones.
In male-dominated sectors such as security, bias can be subtle but cumulative.
Women often describe feeling pressure to continually prove competence or hesitating to pursue advancement without visible sponsorship and support.
Progression is shaped not only by policy, but by everyday workplace signals about who belongs at the top.
Taking up space should not be considered as an act of defiance – it should be a set expectation.
Bridging the confidence gap in security requires more than policy reform.
It requires a mindset shift that begins early.
From a young age, girls must be exposed to the idea that leadership, frontline operational roles and boardroom decision-making are spaces where they belong.
The notion that authority, technical expertise or physical command are inherently male traits must be actively dismantled.
Teaching women that they belong in boardrooms and on frontlines is essential.
No effort to reinforce this message is too small; workshops, mentorship and visible leadership all contribute to normalising representation.
Confidence is not about volume. It is about conviction.
When women see themselves reflected in senior security roles, the profession becomes imaginable and therefore attainable.
The perception of security as a purely physical or ‘macho’ field is increasingly outdated.
Modern security demands strategic thinking, communication skills, emotional intelligence and adaptability.
De-escalation, trust-building and cultural awareness are critical in today’s security landscape.
Diverse teams assess threats more holistically and respond more proportionately.
In environments requiring same-gender search procedures, female security professionals are indispensable.
In corporate contexts, diverse teams signal alignment with organisational values and enhance stakeholder trust.
Improving gender balance in security requires structure, not optics.
Transparent promotion criteria, structured entry routes and leadership sponsorship prevent representation from stagnating at junior levels.
Early engagement with schools and universities widens the pipeline, while inclusive everyday practices ensure legislation translates into culture.
Please turn to pages 50-52 to see insights from Women in Security, highlighting their professional journeys, the expertise they bring to the sector and the vital role they play in driving progress and broadening representation across the industry.
By spotlighting their achievements, Security Journal UK aims to amplify diverse voices, challenge outdated perceptions and recognise those shaping a more inclusive and forward-thinking future for security.
Security protects society. To do so effectively, it must reflect it.
This article was originally published in the March edition of Security Journal UK. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.
