Being a ‘good woman’: Stigma, relationships and desistance

Natalie Rutter,Una Barr

doi:10.1177/02645505211010336

Natalie Rutter, Una Barr

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/02645505211010336

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Abstract

This article critiques the focus on responsibilisation of criminalised women within desistance research, policy and practice, through the neglect of the structural conditions surrounding women’s criminalisation and victimisation. The concept of the ‘good woman’ within these areas is grounded in patriarchal and neoliberal discourse. Drawing upon women’s narratives, we show this results in feelings of shame and stigmatisation, negatively affecting relational networks and leading to a denial of victimhood. Research from two complementing studies drawn together here suggest that positive relationships which challenge feelings of shame and stigmatisation are essential to women’s desistance both from crime and harm, and are therefore fundamental considerations for practice.

Highlights

Female service users of the criminal justice system remain one of the most marginalised voices in society (Harding, 2017a), often ignored and unheard
Our research suggests that positive relationships which challenge feelings of shame and stigmatisation are essential to women’s desistance both from crime and harm (Barr, 2019; Barr and Christian, 2019), with conclusions considering some implications for practice
As our research has shown, these failures emerge not just from criminalisation, and from victimisation, often linked to domestic violence experiences, when women are seen to be lacking in resilience, and do not identify as ‘survivors’

Summary

Introduction

Female service users of the criminal justice system remain one of the most marginalised voices in society (Harding, 2017a), often ignored and unheard The Farmer Report (2019) highlighted the importance of strengthening family and other relationships for ‘female offenders’, recognising the centrality of victimisation in the lives of criminalised women, and the importance of positive relationships to support women’s desistance.

Results

Conclusion