From victim to perpetrator to survivor: The psycho-social context of South African women offenders

Abstract

BackgroundThere is a paucity of research on women offenders in the South African context, particularly those referred for forensic psychiatric observation. Little is known about their life histories, the nature of their offences or the psycho-social contexts that enable, or are antecedents to, women’s criminal offending.AimThis research study, the largest of its kind in South Africa, examined the psycho-social contexts within which women offenders referred for psychiatric evaluation come to commit offences. The profiles of both offenders and victims, as well as reasons for referral and forensic mental health outcomes, were investigated.MethodsA retrospective record review of 573 cases, spanning a 12-year review period, from 6 different forensic psychiatric units in South Africa, was conducted.ResultsThe findings describe a population of women offenders who come from backgrounds of socio-demographic and socio-economic adversity, with relatively high pre-offence incidences of being victims of abuse themselves, with significant levels of mental illness and alcohol abuse permeating life histories. The majority of index offences which led to court-ordered forensic evaluations were for violent offences against the person, with murder being the single most common index offence in the sample. Most victims of violence were known to the accused. There were also relatively high rates of psychotic and mood-spectrum disorders present, with relatively low rates of personality disorders. The majority of women were deemed to be trial competent and criminally responsible in relation to their index offences.ConclusionIt is recommended that more standardised and gender-sensitive forensic mental health assessment approaches, documentation and reporting be employed throughout the country. Future research should compare male and female offending patterns and forensic mental health profiles.

Social, forensic, and clinical correlates in female observandi referred for non-violent crimes

“…For example, almost a third of the sample (35.4%) had an undocumented history of previous exposure to violence and abuse. Previous research has shown that exposure to violence predisposes to criminal behaviour, 2 , 10 , 18 thus it was important to determine the abuse history of all the women in the study; however, the incompleteness of the data has underestimated the frequency of domestic violence in the sample.…”

Adverse childhood experiences, mental illness, HIV and offending among female inmates in Durban, South Africa

“…25 Adverse childhood experiences are indeed linked to violent offending in both genders. However, violent offending particularly interpersonal violence in females has been linked to defensive reactions related to chronic past abuse, both in South Africa 26 and internationally. 27 A meta-analysis investigating the cycle of violence after exposure to childhood maltreatment among women, in the general and prison populations, found a significant, albeit small, positive association between ACEs and a wide array of violent behaviours.…”

“…Adverse childhood experiences are indeed linked to violent offending in both genders. However, violent offending particularly interpersonal violence in females has been linked to defensive reactions related to chronic past abuse, both in South Africa 26 and internationally. 27 …”