NCJ Number
122449
Date Published
1987
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Although women are generally oppressed and abused in Canadian society, tending to produce the anger that would fuel violent behavior, various social factors operate to keep the rate of violent crime low among women compared to men.
Abstract
In 1981, 48,690 men were charged with violent offenses, constituting 19.1 percent of the total charges against men. Only 5,117 women were charged with violent offenses, representing 10.2 percent of all charges against women. This low incidence of crime and violence among women is partially due to the continuing social, political, and economic structures that socialize women into the roles of mother, wife, nurturer, and caretaker. These roles tend to foster passivity, dependence, and acceptance. Women are also encouraged to be in touch with their feelings, which encourages them to resolve rather than externalize their anger. Women, however, have historically turned unresolved anger inward, producing self-hate manifested in mental or physical illnesses. Intervention programs designed to help women deal with unresolved anger promise to reduce violent behaviors. The Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto aims to do this by helping women identify their anger, among other feelings, and manage their behaviors constructively.