Mahmia Alam Santa :
Moral policing is the enforcement of moral standards and social norms by societies or authorities to maintain social order. Although criticized for restricting individual freedom, its advocates argue that it maintains cultural values, prevents moral decadence and encourages collective responsibility. Societies have long regulated behavior through social norms and legislation, thus moral policing is a continuation of these traditions. When properly applied, it can deter behavior seen to be unwanted. For example, public nudity or drug consumption are to avert crime and increase stability in societies.
However, the success of moral policing depends on the manner in which it is implemented. If excessively applied or practiced with bias, it can lead to discrimination and human rights abuse. The most basic challenge is how to strike a balance between ethical enforcement and personal freedoms so that it relies on social consensus and not on authoritarian governance. With the modern rapid cultural development, the debate still stands whether moral policing imposes essential values or imposes unnecessary restrictions on personal freedom.
Positive moral policing in Bangladesh can go a long way towards the preservation of social values and social order. In a country with a rich cultural and religious tradition, moral policing helps to maintain these age-old customs, keeping individuals, particularly in rural areas, in conformity with what is acceptable to the majority. By instilling respect for traditional values, it fosters social harmony and discourages actions that would disrupt social harmony, such as indecency or drug addiction.
On the positive side, moral policing can serve as a crime and social deviance deterrent. By fostering a general sense of duty, it creates an environment in which individuals are most likely to observe ethical codes and avoid behavior that might hurt the social fabric. For example, moral policing on topics like gender roles or family values can protect weak sections, especially women, from abuse or harm. While freedom and social norms are difficult to manage, in the right hands, moral policing can be employed to create a respectable, stable society where individual behavior is brought into conformity with what is most valued in the community.
Successful enforcement of moral policing can lead to enhanced stability and social order in society. Community participation cannot be overemphasized. A research published in 2021 in The Journal of Law and Social Policy showed that interaction between law enforcers and community leaders resulted in a reduction of anti-social behavior like public disorder and alcohol/substance abuse by 25%. Public education campaigns also contribute to positive outcomes, with a study in 2020 reported in The Journal of Public Policy and Social Justice indicating a reduction in such activity as public indecency and domestic violence by 30% in regions where comprehensive education programs focusing on moral and legal norms are present.
Moral policing has also been credited with crime reductions and social trust increases. Research published in The International Journal of Criminology (2020) established a 17% drop in crime levels where moral policing had been successful, and research in The Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare (2019) discovered a 19% increase in social trust between those living in areas where morals were aligned to cultural norms. Research further finds that institutional support and human rights and ethical enforcement training are necessary for success. A 2022 research in The Global Journal of Social Sciences found that regions with trained police had a 40% reduction in abuse and a 15% increase in community satisfaction. Legal frameworks are also important; a 2020 research in The Journal of Law and Ethics found that clearly established laws led to a 20% increase in citizen compliance with community norms. When combined, all these factors make moral policing an extremely useful tool for upholding social harmony and public order.
In short, moral policing, if effectively and responsibly employed, can be a successful means of maintaining social order and upholding cultural values. The results of the various studies have shown that public awareness campaigns, community participation, institutional support, and well-defined legal provisions are necessary to ensure that it is a success. By promoting a feeling of collective responsibility and ethical behavior, moral policing can check crime rates, promote social trust, and create a more integrated society. Moral policing, however, must be conducted with respect for the rights and liberties of people, lest it fall into the trap of authoritarian abuse. If balanced with transparency, accountability and concern for community welfare, moral policing can contribute positively to personal as well as social growth, with the values and norms that keep society together being protected without encroaching on individual liberty.
(The writer is a student, Department of Information Science and Library Management, University of Dhaka member, Bangladesh Youth Column Writers’ Forum, DU branch. Email: [email protected])
