Criminalising Women in the Criminal Justice System
This is a ABC Four Corners documentary about the criminalisation of women. It was interesting to learn of the woman who lost her child and couldn’t escape her deep pain. She became an ICE addict and her problems escalated from there as she funded herself through selling ICE. I noted her arms, she indicated her blood was toxic. The issue from my perspective is that we need to develop support groups for people. We have to help them to transform their grief, to release it and to realise that the one they lost is not gone. They pass over but they live on. I feel the deep grief is the unbearable loss of not seeing a loved one again so people turn to drugs to stop the pain, to suppress the thoughts, to escape what is to hard too bare. This is not a criminal behaviour it is a socio-emotional problems that the person does not know how to resolve. This women was provided with a place to discover that she couldn’t bring her dog, that is emotional support for her, like family and clearly a deep need. What I found interesting was that this information should have been debriefed first rather than raise her expectations and then take it away. This can catalyse trauma, aloneness, anxiety and grief. You cannot know the issue of homelessness, poverty and loss unless you walk in the woman’s shoes. What I have noted is that the service providers do not understand deeply the other. Moreover, she has to be on Centrelink, if she is not she will not have access which makes her more vulnerable. I am in a situation of homelessness as I am a contentious objector to the job provider system giving the rorting and the compliance mentality that has formed around vulnerable people in a democratic society. I cannot engage in a system I believe is corrupt. For my decision to speak up I was cut off October 2017 and am still living week to week, house sitting etc. So the point I am making here is I feel it comes down to values and it comes down to support. Do we punish pain or do we seek to create pathways to heal? I note that the holistic sector is no longer tax deductible as we have pharmaceuticals as an industry that is considered licenced and about profit maximisation. This becomes the political tool to change legislation and exclude healers, many of whom do it out of love. We do not place people at the centre of policy we place money at the centre. This for me is a core issue. To stop repeat offending through trauma and drugs, people have to come to terms with the pain they carry and transform it. A culture of suppression and punishment does not heal dysfunctional backgrounds where patterns develop and must be changed in order for real change to occur.
The next case is about Bekkie who was sexually abused which led her to drugs. So is jail the right place for her or is it to heal the past? Some argue that the past is used as an excuse but the truth is people carry trauma’s and it impacts there mental health and self esteem. So wouldn’t it be better to deal with the core problem rather than punish the external action. Her father said she stole 100,000 from her father so this could be deemed the opportunity cost of not solving the emotional problem. She is fortunate she has really loving parents. Love opens the pathway to healing – love cares, heals, reveals and shares. Her sister says get over it, but the challenge is to move through the trauma as Bekkie revealed rather than being stuck in the victim mentality.
Prison can also be a place for reflection as people feel out of control and have to stop. However, if they are in commercial work they may not get the therapy they need. Privatisation of prisons is of concern as the profit motive and the vested interest in expanding prison populations runs counter to what society wants, less people in prison and resolving the social problems.
I felt for Donna and the fact she is indigenous and a family history of jail. This woman as a girl experienced horrendous sexual abuse in care. She states since 13 years of age she lived on the streets. She slept in bus stops and other places. She speaks of becoming violent and hated everyone, that is deeply sad as she had not experienced love and kindness. Her world was one of distrust, loneliness and violence. I’ve been to Fortitude Valley and it was a sleezy place with lots of drugs. Donna speaks of no support coming out of prison. Support is a key word here. It is beautiful to see her reunited with her daughter but you can see the daughter is not responding as they have been separated. The child needs continuity, love and a role model that she can learn from to have a happy life. I really love the woman who is helping Donna, that is love in action. This lady is in this area because she truly cares about people. I really felt that. Women can be incredible in the lives of each other or they can be officious/superior. But when they truly care there is nothing more beautiful. I’ve had a few people in my life who truly care and allow me to find shelter so I can work on serving society which is my vision. I am being supported to live my dreams. I have to stay true to my values. Donna will have challenges in societal judgement given the perception of indigenous people. There has been a disservice to them given they are an ancient culture, an incredibly resilient culture and one with a history of mysticism. They have a strong sense of family. They were not respected in Australian culture because of the belief they should ‘be like us’. Rather than understanding they have been taken out of their ancient culture (50,000 years) and it takes time to adjust to this culture which in my view is more toxic. I regard advancement as healthy civilisation in harmony with the planet.
The job market is hard anyway, I’ve worked in 400 companies but didn’t get one interview, my age worked against me and also the fact I’d chosen a life to follow my heart, to live my dream which was peace education, clowning, education and training in wellbeing and conflict resolution. If you do not have funds it is not easy to develop the work, there must be sponsors. So if you end up in poverty the barriers are there. However, I would say I don’t regret my path I have learned so much, I feel like I’ve lived a 100 years with the knowledge I’ve acquired. I feel a connection with all people and I do not hold attitudes of separation. I am interested in wellbeing and happiness. It is important to look past the history and into the eyes of the person, to truly see them. As a clown I had the privilege of being able to truly see people and what I saw was beautiful people doing the best they can.
Enjoy Four Corners and learn about the incredible women who survive and my hope is that they thrive.
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/four-corners/series/2019/video/NC1903H004S00