This thesis delves into the complex dynamics of female involvement in criminal gang environments. These females can be divided into two groups: insiders, who are introduced to the environment through close acquaintances, and outsiders, who do not have close relationships within the environment. Through qualitative interviews with key informants from Danish law enforcement and municipalities, this thesis addresses the females’ motivation to engage with gang members as well as the potential consequences of these relationships. This thesis also examines the challenges field professionals face when engaging with these females, as well as which preventive initiatives could be implemented in Western Copenhagen. The findings from this thesis revealed that females are motivated to engage in relationships with criminals due to various factors, encompassing the desire for status, protection, and financial or material gain. A potential consequence of these relationships is the risk of becoming a victim of either psychological, physical, or sexual abuse. Conversely, another potential consequence of such relationships is the pressure or temptation to participate in crime, thereby becoming an offender themselves. In certain cases, there will thus be a victim-offender overlap.There is a notable lack of attention towards females involved in gang environments in the preventive work in Western Copenhagen. Additionally, there is currently no unified approach when working with these females. As a result, professionals encounter various challenges when working with females involved with gang members. It is thus important to increase awareness about this issue and implement early preventive strategies tailored to females in Western Copenhagen. Finally, this thesis finds that when field professionals engage with these females, it is crucial to maintain a holistic approach, considering the diverse motivations and consequences the females encounter.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:mau-68472 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Grundtvig, Olivia Cecilie |
| Publisher | Malmö universitet, Institutionen för kriminologi (KR) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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