Female Criminality: Socio-Psychological Deformation and Victimological Determinants

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Female criminality represents one of the most complex and multidimensional areas of contemporary criminology and requires a specialized analytical approach. Throughout history, women have traditionally symbolized life, compassion, and stability. Consequently, criminal offenses committed by women are often perceived not only as violations of law but also as manifestations of moral and social disintegration. Nevertheless, in-depth criminological analysis demonstrates that women are not inherently predisposed to criminal behavior.

Rather, socially dangerous actions committed by women are frequently rooted in prolonged psychological suffering, social injustice, and systemic victimization.

One of the primary factors contributing to the criminal deformation of female personality is the existence of a dysfunctional micro-social environment. Years of domestic violence, psychological abuse, and degradation of personal dignity often lead to the development of what may be described as a “chronic victim syndrome.” Under such circumstances, women gradually lose their sense of control over their own lives and destinies, resulting in frustration, emotional detachment, and psychological exhaustion.

From a criminological perspective, this process may be characterized as latent victimization – a condition in which a woman effectively becomes a silent victim of family and social circumstances long before she commits a criminal act.

Psychological deterioration frequently serves as a trigger for criminal behavior. Women who live under conditions of constant fear and stress often begin to perceive the surrounding environment exclusively as a source of threat. Consequently, aggressive acts committed by such individuals are not necessarily offensive in nature but may instead constitute defensive reactions [1].