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Updated: Aug 26, 2025
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Published on: July 4, 2013
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Female Murderers and Stigma: Coping With the "Bad Woman" Label
1Università degli studi di Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
Summary
This study explores how women convicted of murder internalize the "bad woman" label. It identifies four coping narratives: denied, disregarded, despairing, and processed stigma, revealing deeper psychosocial factors.
Area of Science:
- Criminology
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Focuses on female delinquency stereotypes, specifically "bad women" convicted of murder.
- Examines women who are not perceived as "victims" due to unconventional femininity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To understand how the "bad woman" label is integrated into the identity narratives of women convicted of murder.
- To analyze coping mechanisms for stigma through narrative and psychosocial criminology.
Main Methods:
- Employs narrative criminology to study identity.
- Utilizes psychosocial criminology to trace past traumatic experiences.
- Analyzes narratives of five women convicted of murder.
Main Results:
- Identifies four distinct stigma coping narratives: denied, disregarded, despairing, and processed stigma.
- Reveals that psychosocial criminology helps uncover underlying explanations for coping discrepancies.
- Highlights the "fil rouge" connecting past trauma to current identity negotiation.
Conclusions:
- The "bad woman" label significantly impacts identity formation for incarcerated women.
- Narrative and psychosocial approaches offer valuable insights into female offenders' experiences.
- Understanding these narratives is crucial for addressing stigma and promoting rehabilitation.
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