AIBU to think that females can in fact be criminals

[worridmum]

Sorry for posting this here but I attended a seminar about feminism and one of the main topics was that of female prisons and how in a just society there should not be any because apprently females cannot be criminals as females who commit crime are just sick and should be in out patiant treatment centres.

It went further and suggested that all female crime root cause was men. for every crime they commited a man was usaually involed eg ether making them do it or not stopping them, with examples of NRP not paying enough CM meaning the mother had to shop lift to get food for her child despite being a self confessed heavy smoker/drinker and that she should not of been in prison but her child's dad should be for forcing her to become a criminal.

She went further and suggested that one of the main root causes of all crime and particaully female crime was caused by influences of there father and was suggesting that men should have less input/involement in their childs lives because they are one of the main causes of crime.

AIBU to think that she is talking total bollackis and suggesting that no woman has antomany over their own actions as what ever they do it is because of a man. and to think that what she is sprouting is boardering on hate speech as if you replace the word man with black person / muslim it would be shut down as a hate crime.

AIBU in also thinking that it is both toxic and dangerous for society as whole if these sort of views are not challanged and feel sorry for her son as she said she would be raising him to be aware that because of his sex he is a boarderline monster and a route cause of all problems in society.

(sorry for spelling errors that might be present I am dysixlica and my phone has a rubbish spell checker and for not naming names as I dont want to out myself or open myself up for slander by identifying the speakers)

[SpaghettiAndMeatballs]

Do you have a link to the seminar? It sounds like either it was mad, or you've got the wrong end of the stick a bit.

It is true that women go to prison for very different kinds of crimes than men, and that poverty is higher among women, which obviously leads to more crime.

[plantsitter]

Where was the seminar? Usually you would have an opportunity to challenge these views in any seminar. And if what you suggest is exactly what was said then of course you would be right to.

[mohuzivajehi]

Yeah that's bollocks.

[Amd724]

I think either you or both of you have misunderstood the seminar. I've read a significant amount of research that shows that most women are in prison for financial related crimes, or with motives that have to do with money. Whether or not we shouldn't have prisons is moot, its about whether men and women are properly supported when they're without financial means to support themselves. Some women are in jail for drug usage, some of which can be linked to past abuse. I was reading some research on this, which shows that most women who kill their husbands or partners, do so for money or other financial gain. It's a very complex issue and I think this may not have been correctly portrayed or understood.

[SteppingOnToes]

How very unfeminist to suggest that women have no autonomy - how to set the movement back decades!

[JustGandering36]

Yeah because Mira Hindley was such a lovely person because she was just female

[Kursk]

The speaker sounds like a female supremacist. Woman are superior, etc

Everyone, male or female is free to make there own choices. No one is above the law.

[worridmum]

I and many people did challage it and we were basically told we were anti feminist and apolgisigts for particially society and being part of the problem, it was hosted in New York by New York univisty in was a lecture at a public samposisam (sp?)

[ASAS]

In terms of policy, Cornton Vale is closing. This certainly is the trendy view ATM.

[Amd724]

But then again, in feminism research and literature, like any other field, there are some quacks. If she truly said what you've put here, then indeed she's a quack.

[Erratica]

Utter rubbish. I have had contact with prison wardens and often they've told me that female prisons are more intimidating and scary. As a feminist I believe in equality . I believe we are all equal but of course all very different from each other.
There will be women in the position discussed. There will also be men who were abused by their mothers who turned to crime. Yet others with no background factors.

[Tazerface]

'Suggesting' is not the same as 'can't be'. It is true that a lot of female crime has an influence from a male in the background.

[BertrandRussell]

Worridmum-couldntou provide names and links please?

[stitchglitched]

Given that I imnediately recognised your username due to your posting history being decidely unfeminist, I'm surprised that you even went to a feminism seminar, and not only that but found it so full of craziness. Amazing.

[araiwa]

Someone has been overdosing the coolaid

[worridmum]

And it wasnt about poveity as povity is linked to nearly all crime and men also commit crimes for finical reasons as most men in prison are also doing crimes for finical reasons and are often drug adicits etc so it is doing a diservice to people to suggest those reasons effect females more.

(there has also been tons of studies of male violence as most are suffering from brain development problems which cause them to be more depreposed to violance be it through lack of emition control or anger management problems but no one attempts to down play these).

It just got my goat that they are allowed to preach these sort of views were if you replaced the word male with black or asian or religion they would be commiting a hate crime.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

You don't want to open yourself up for slander for naming the speakers - why would it be slander unless they didn't actually say what you claim they did?
Have the courage of your convictions and name them.

[SpaghettiAndMeatballs]

was it this one:

wagner.nyu.edu/community/events/scjr-01-26-2017

Doesn't sound like quite what you're saying, but the subject matter is at least slightly close.

[DotForShort]

I would be interested in learning the name of the speaker. Are you in NYC? Or was it a webinar that you participated in remotely?

[SpaghettiAndMeatballs]

centerforjustice.columbia.edu/event/real-women-real-voices/

Here's another link with the panel members - they seem like fairly normal women who are heavily involved in the subject matter to me.

[BertrandRussell]

Why would you be opening yourself up for slander if you named the speaker? Assuming you are reporting her correctly, of course.....

[worridmum]

I am a feminist as i believe in a equal society what i am agaisnt is when people try to take away from that be it by suggesting females can only be victims (as in we dont have self antominay and are controlled by males) or where people are think we should more "equal" then men by postivtie discrimition (aka being promoted simply for being female etc)

[BertrandRussell]

Name the speaker.

[newtlover]

either you, or the person presenting the seminar is over-simplyfying. A feminist analysis looks at the big picture, at patterns and trends. With this perspective, as PPs have mentioned we can see that women's pattern of offending is different to mens, for example IIRC in the UK many women are imprisoned for non payment of fines, which would obviously be linked to poverty which in turn would be linked to lower pay, fewer opportunities and greater responsibility for children or other dependents. No one should be saying that individual women can't be guilty of any kind of crime, but overall women's crime is linked to their gender role (just as men's is).
Another example would be domestic abuse. This is overwhelmingly a male crime and inextricably bound up with men's sense of entitlement. That's not to say that women, may rarely be guilty of DA against men, and should be punished for it.

[Amd724]

I just searched NYUs website, and couldn't find anything that matches what you've said other than one in January. If there's something else, let us know. I'd be really surprised if NYU would let someone speak without any actual evidence or support for her claims.