Stigma Management for Women with Experiences of Incarceration and Addiction

• In Event: Gender, Fear of Crime, and Risk Avoidance Strategies

Abstract

Previous research indicates that individuals with experiences of addiction or incarceration anticipate stigma upon re-entry. However, there has been scant attention to individuals perceiving multiple stigmas. Also, there has been scant research exploring how individuals anticipate stigma from their more intimate relationships. This study addresses these gaps by examining women’s perceptions of stigma and their coping strategies.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 women over 9 months. Data was collected and analyzed using grounded theory to compare emergent themes and develop theoretical conceptualizations. NVivo was used to facilitate coding and analytic processes.
Participants perceived stigmas from family and romantic partners based on views of the permanence of the “addict identity”. Moreover, stigmas were undergirded by norms of proper womanhood violated by women’s intersecting experiences with addiction, mothering and incarceration. Additionally, the Latina and Caucasian sample perceived stigma embedded in racialized beliefs of proper behavior. As a result participants employed strategies to reduce stigma and preserve their recovery identities.
This study increases knowledge available to researchers and advocates working with women managing stigmas. It gives insights into how stigmas shape support seeking and re-entry. Research findings can also enhance knowledge of affected families who are also managing loss and stigma.

Author

• Alana Gunn, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc.