What role do women play in gang life? What kind of activities do they participate in?
Today, women play much of the same roles as they did years ago, with a few slight modifications. Females started making their appearances in gang's clear back into the 1800's. Females have always held very small roles, typically only being associated "as someone's girlfriend, sister or relative." (Moore and Hagedorn, 2001) These women were simply kept around to hide and hold weapons, drugs and provide alibis for male members of the gang. In additon, these women are usually sent out into the streets to do the dirty, dangerous work for the males by "spying on rival gangs." (Eckelkamp) Women have typically held these menial jobs because as we have studied, women have always been looked at as inferior to men.
Sadly, with inferiority comes abuse and neglect. These women typically have to go to hell and back before they are even considered part of the group? Once a females decided she wants to become part of a particular gang, she has to choose how to be initiated in...jumped-in or sexed-in? Women who are jumped-ed typically gain more respect once accepted, and women who choose to be sexed-in have little respect and are looked at as sex-toys. (Moore and Hagedorn, 2001) Being used for sex is a typical way female's help out their male group members. When a debt needs to be paid to a rival gang, women will prostitute themselves to help pay the debt, it their "job". Females are also sent out into the street to collect drugs, money and whatever else is owed to the gang. Men typically send women out to this line of work because it is thought that females are less visible to the cops and are usually over looked at having affiliation with the gangs. They "look less guilty on the corner" and have better hiding spots for drugs and weapons than males do. (Eckelkamp)
Sadly, with inferiority comes abuse and neglect. These women typically have to go to hell and back before they are even considered part of the group? Once a females decided she wants to become part of a particular gang, she has to choose how to be initiated in...jumped-in or sexed-in? Women who are jumped-ed typically gain more respect once accepted, and women who choose to be sexed-in have little respect and are looked at as sex-toys. (Moore and Hagedorn, 2001) Being used for sex is a typical way female's help out their male group members. When a debt needs to be paid to a rival gang, women will prostitute themselves to help pay the debt, it their "job". Females are also sent out into the street to collect drugs, money and whatever else is owed to the gang. Men typically send women out to this line of work because it is thought that females are less visible to the cops and are usually over looked at having affiliation with the gangs. They "look less guilty on the corner" and have better hiding spots for drugs and weapons than males do. (Eckelkamp)