What role do you believe an abuse history plays in the occurrences of crimes committed by women? 

 

Research has consistently illustrated that women with an abuse history, or women with history of victimization, is a common factor for many women offenders, or women committing crimes.

Step-by-step explanation

The experience of abuse is something that many women are intimately familiar with. In addition, women are most likely to be victimized by someone they know. An overwhelming majority of women experienced some form of abuse-physical, psychological, or sexual- and in many cases, are victims of long-term multiple acts of violence.

Research has consistently illustrated that a history of victimization of women is a common factor for many women offenders. Not only is there a strong relationship that leads from victimization to offending but the relationshio between these two variables continues also as a vicious cycle.

For example, a young girl who is sexually abused by a family member runs away from home. Rather than return to her abusive environment, she ends up selling her body as a way to provide food, clothing, and shelter because she has few skills to legitimately support herself. As a result of her interactions with potentially dangerous clients and pimps, she continues to endure physical and sexual violence and may turn to substances such as alcohol and drugs to numb the pain of the abuse. When confronted by the criminal justice system, she receives little if any assistance to address the multiple issues that she faces as a result of her life experiences. In addition, her criminal identity now makes it increasingly difficult to find valid employment, receive housing and food benefits, or have access to educational opportunities that could improve her situation. Ultimately, she ends up in a world where finding a healthy and sustainable life on her own is a difficult goal to attain, and these factors will further push her to engage in illegal activities in order to survive.