Women's Drug Dealing as a Source of Empowerment

• In Event: Unique Experiences of Women Offenders

Abstract

Women’s drug use and involvement in the hard drug economy can be characterized by marginalization. They suffer from gendered disadvantages in an environment strongly skewed in favor of men; social stigmas due to non-compliance with normative perceptions of femininity; their own drug abuse; and traumatic childhood experiences. Based on interviews with 32 female drug dealers in Norway, this study investigates how drug dealing can represent empowerment from this marginalized situation. Successful drug dealing brings forth status and respect from peers, excitement, money, a sense of achievement, and, most importantly, increased self-efficacy. Female drug users start off being structurally disadvantaged and victimized, but through drug dealing they start a process of empowerment. Independence from men, control over one’s own drug use, and running one’s own business are highlighted to be essential elements in this process. While much research on women drug users emphasizes addiction as a powerful barrier to desistance, we suggest that successful dealing is also a significant, but often overlooked barrier for women in the drug economy. The increased self-efficacy experienced by women who succeed in drug dealing are likely stronger than for male users, due to the gendered marginalization such women experience.

Authors

• Heidi Grundetjern, University of Oslo

• Jody Miller, Rutgers University