Life ‘HerStories’ of Imprisoned Women

Abstract

This paper collects incarcerated women’s testimonies of their lives that illustrates who are the people behind the incarceration numbers. Through their stories, the different dimensions of oppression they have experienced are brought out. In addition to gender, the dimensions of race and social class, the use of illegal drugs by relatives, violence and the experience within the criminal justice and prison system carry out an important role in these women’s lives. The interviews were conducted in a female prison unit, in a pregnant and lactating unit, and in an Association for Protection and Assistance to Convicts. They were “transcreated” and analyzed.

Keywords

• encarceramento feminino, seletividade penal, histórias de vida, gênero, raça