Female Gang Members Negotiating Privilege, Power, and Oppression within Family and Gang Life

Abstract

According to National Gang Center, 2012 statistics, 30,700 gangs existed in the United States with an approximate membership of 850,000 people. Although female gang members account for less than 10% of total membership, their numbers and violence among them are increasing as of 2002. Due to their intersectional invisibility, research and interventions for gang members have been based primarily on the experiences of boys and men. Therefore, we examined the narratives of six female former gang members, including two Latinas, three African American women, and one Arab/Muslim woman. Structural intersectionality guided our analysis of social institutions navigated by participants, including family, gangs, and the legal system. We identified various forms of trauma experienced by all participants, as well as how they exercised perceived power gained by joining a gang. Recommendations to mental health practitioners include careful attention to context and culture, and the embracing of intersectional cultural humility in practice.