Könsrelaterat våld bland kvinnor i gängkriminella miljöer

Abstract

Although gang violence has gained much attention in Swedish media in recent years, women in gang environments remain unexplored. Recently the Swedish Gender Equality Agency (Jämställdhetsmyndigheten) published a report in March 2024 showing that women are being sexually exploited in gang environments, and the report has brought attention to women in gangs. This study examines gender-based violence in gang environments in Sweden. The aim of this study is to examine how intimate relationships with men in gang environments affect womens’ agency to enter and leave gangs. Our study is carried out as a qualitative interview study with professionals who work with women in gang environments. The theoretical framework of this study includes gender-based violence such as domestic abuse, including intimate terrorism and the process of normalization as well honor based violence. The results of this study shows how gender norms and sexuality is central to women in gang environments. Sexual violence and exploitation are occuring in intimate relationships as a way to control women, make them commit crimes and to constrain them in the relationship and the gang environment. Furthermore, the results of this study shows that honor based violence as well as violence in close relationships limits the womens’ agency to leave gang environments.